Hooah
by jago-ji
Summary: This started as a one-shot. It is now a story about Stephanie and twelve Merry Men. And Ranger. And rejection. And friendship. And denial. And fear. And how love wins out in the end. Who saves who?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I am just borrowing a few of JE's Merry Men for literary fun, not for profit. Wish they could stay, any of them. When it comes to the Merry Men, I wouldn't be picky. Some coarse language. I would appreciate any and all comments.

_A/N: __"Hooah" - military jargon indicating an affirmative response; 'HUA' as in "Heard, Understood and Acknowledged"_

_Lester's POV_

I watched as Tank and Bobby nervously shuffled their feet as they stood on either side of her hospital bed, trying to avoid looking at her swollen blackened eyes and bruised face. Several butterfly bandages strained to hold closed a large gash above her left eyebrow. Her upper lip was swollen and split. Even in a drug-induced sleep, she seemed to be in pain.

The guys weren't looking too good either, but it was more from concern and worry rather than from their own injuries. We had been at the hospital since noon yesterday and now it was just before dawn. Stephanie had been out of surgery for over twelve hours, but her breathing was ragged and her blood pressure was still dangerously low.

I couldn't stop pacing at the end of the bed, feeling helpless and getting angrier and angrier. 'What was Ranger thinking?' That ultimatum he issued a few hours ago hadn't set well with any of us. "I don't care what Ranger says, I am _not_ abandoning her," I barked out.

Dragging his hand over his bald head, Tank countered, "Lester, Ranger has a point, you know. That punk gang took her to get back at _us_ for hauling their asses back to jail. They nearly killed her."

Bobby added, "If we hadn't received that tip about where they were holding her, she wouldn't have made it. She still isn't out of the woods. I won't leave her till I'm sure she's going to be OK."

I glared at Tank as he gave Bobby a tight grin and nodded. He looked back at me, "Ranger's just trying to protect her. If she's not 'one of us,' she won't be such a target for all the scumbags that want to get even with us and RangeMan."

I turned on him, frustrated, "But to just abandon her, stop seeing her, stop talking to her, stop being her friend, it's wrong. Ranger's f…ing wrong!"

From the shadows of the darkened doorway, I noticed a figure had stepped into the crowded room and heard him growl, "I'm…_wrong_?"

As one, we turned to face our friend and boss. Tension shimmered through the air between us. I couldn't let it go. I squared off directly in front of him and declared, " Ranger, when we get Bombshell out of here, we're sticking with her. She's like family and she needs us. She would never just walk away from one of us. She deserves our support and I can't—_won't_—just walk away and leave her. I won't hurt her like that. And I don't know how _you_ can." I felt Tank and Bobby quietly move up behind me.

Ranger stiffened and glared at his friends, the recrimination hitting him like a physical blow. He had thought they understood. He had to find some way they would agree to his decision to back out of her life; to remove the threat they posed for her just by associating with them.

It had become obvious to anyone who cared to look, that all the men at RangeMan cared deeply for Stephanie Plum. It had got her kidnapped and badly beaten last night by one the nastier local gangs in retaliation for the constant pressure RangeMan had put on all the gangs lately by routing out any and all members who had skipped their court dates. The fact that his men had dragged in several of the punks to the police station with cracked ribs and a rash of cuts and bruises hadn't helped the situation.

Ranger stared over at the sleeping form of the woman he loved more than life. He had never told her how he felt; hell, he barely admitted it to himself. His heart tightened painfully as he took in her battered face and the tubes and wires looped over her still body, the steady soft 'beep' beep, beep' coming from the machine at the head of the bed.

He wanted nothing more than to go her, hold her in his arms and finally tell her how much he loved her, that she was his heart, his very soul. It had become an internal anguish _not_ to confess it to her. Then he saw her shoulder twitch and heard a low moan of pain escape her swollen lips. His stomach clenched and it felt as if a knife tore through his heart.

Again, the realization that she was in such pain, that she had nearly died, all because of him hit him full on. His greatest fear had happened. Rage boiled up inside him and then it turned to hate, hate that turned inward.

His resolve strengthened. He'd made the right decision. He had to distance himself from his Babe. He had to protect her, no matter what the cost to him, and yes, the cost to her. Broken hearts can heal, he told himself.

Looking at the three large men looming before him, Ranger knew logical reasoning wasn't working. Desperate, he decided on a different tact. In a most disdainful disgusted voice, he uttered, "She's got you all _pussy-whipped_. Are you going to keep letting her drag you around by your balls?"

Tank, Bobby and I shot glances to each other, a little puzzled. 'Who's he kidding?' It didn't take me long to respond. I straightened up and locking my eyes on Ranger, belted out, "Hooah." Tank and Bobby came to attention by my side and immediately echoed, "Hooah."

Ranger just stood there, looking at us in disbelief. We were defying him again and, now, we were taking pride in it. A full minute passed and I saw his shoulders drop just a fraction. A small twitch played at the corners of his mouth and he let out a low breath that I thought sounded suspiciously like 'hooah.' Then he pivoted sharply and walked out of the room.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Just borrowing, still JE's, still want MM, any of them, not picky. Not making any money, but having a lot of fun. Some coarse language. Reviews truly appreciated.

_A/N: "Hooah" - military jargon indicating an affirmative response; 'HUA' as in "Heard, Understood and Acknowledged"_

_End of Chapter 1_

_Ranger just stood there, looking at us in disbelief. We were defying him again and, now, we were taking pride in it. A full minute passed and I saw his shoulders drop just a fraction. A small twitch played at the corners of his mouth and he let out a low breath that I thought sounded suspiciously like 'hooah.' Then he pivoted sharply and walked out of the room._

**Chapter 2**

**No looking back**

Lester's POV

"What just happened? Did we win? Or did we just buy us some time before he beats the crap out of us?" I turned and stared in confusion at Tank and Bobby.

Tank blew out a long breath; "I think I saw a glimmer of agreement from him. But I can't see Ranger changing his mind about this. You guys weren't in the office when we got your call that you'd found Stephanie. It hit him hard, and I mean hard."

"Ranger sounded worried but not frantic when I talked to him. I reported on her condition, as I knew it...which admittedly was touch and go…and that we were rushing her to the hospital. What happened after I hung up?" Bobby asked.

Tank shifted his gaze down to his feet; "Ranger fell back in his chair, the phone still in his hand…and…the look on his face was…was…like he wasn't there. It wasn't his usual 'unreadable' face, it was like he retreated inside himself, but there was no thought process, no gears turning."

Tank looked up, his voice rising in pitch; "I had expected him to immediately rush out and race to the hospital or at least get angry or throw something. But he just sat there, staring. I took the phone out of his hand and gave his shoulder a shake. He didn't even look up. I shook him a little harder. There was no reaction, nada."

I wasn't sure where Tank was going with this. "You guys were late getting to the hospital and Ranger was quiet. He only asked a few questions, but that isn't unusual for Ranger." I had seen Ranger reflective, angry, in full out fighting action, but always in control. Even in his rare episodes of rage, Ranger was _always_ in control.

Tank continued, "He just sat there, barely breathing. I yelled at him that we needed to get going. Nothing. I got in his face and barked an order. Nothing. I slugged him hard in the shoulder. I finally slapped him across the face."

Bobby and I sucked in our breath at that. "Please tell me that got to him?"

Tank shook his head, "Ranger slowly raised his eyes up, but I don't think he was seeing me. He started mumbling something about it all being his fault. That he knew this would happen. That he should never have let her in. I knew he was talking about Bombshell. I tried to reason with him. I tried to get him up and moving, but he wouldn't respond. I don't mind admitting I was more than a little worried. I still am."

"So how'd you get him here?" I pictured Tank, with a good seven inches more in height and 100 pounds more than his best friend, slinging a not so tiny Ranger over his shoulder and lugging him out to the SUV.

"It took me awhile to come up with this, but I finally cracked open an ammonia capsule under his nose and then threw a pitcher of ice cold water in his face," explained a chagrined Tank. "He came up swinging." Bobby and I snorted at that amusing, if dangerous, image.

Bobby frowned, "I don't think he spoke more than a dozen words the whole time we were waiting for Stephanie to get out of surgery and then recovery. When she was moved to a room, he went in and was with her for over two hours. He never said a word to her, never touched her, just sat by the bed, staring at her face."

I was trying to place when Ranger had decided to 'divorce' Bomber. "So, Ranger didn't talk with you, Tank, before he issued that ultimatum to us? I mean, we've spent the past few years tailing, tracking and protecting Bomber, sometimes 24/7. And now, he tells us to leave her alone. Not just stop tracking her, but totally stay away from her. Does he really think that will save her from all the crazies out there?" Great rhetorical question. We all sat in silence for a few minutes.

I was tired of the whole thing. "OK guys, where do we go from here?"

Bobby rubbed his hand across his chin, " Well, the surgeon said he had to remove Steph's spleen; the result of repeated kicking from a very large boot. So she's got a painful incision and some serious bruising on her upper abdomen. If Bombshell's other injuries are limited to the broken collarbone and ribs, a major concussion and the internal bruising I know she sustained, then she could be ready to go home—with us—in maybe three or four days. That's if she wakes up with no other repercussions after the tranqs are withdrawn."

Bobby gave us a pained look. He loved being a medic, but this situation with Bomber had been especially hard on him. "She'll need to use an arm sling for six to eight weeks. Full physical recovery may take months. Mental recovery…your guess is as good as mine. Tank, you're the one with psychiatric training."

Whoa, my head was reeling. I was used to _me_ getting injured, but seeing Bomber in such serious condition floored me. But I knew one thing, no one was EVER going to hurt her like that again; the guys and I would make sure of it, even if Ranger really dumped her.

Ranger's POV

I walked out of the RangeMan elevator and I could see the guys scramble to resume their monitoring positions as I entered the control room on five. "Cal, report." His summary was short. Good, nothing that needed my attention. I couldn't answer the questions that were obvious on my men's faces. I no longer knew what to tell them.

I stormed into my office, slammed the door shut and then I couldn't stop pacing. 'I can't believe even Tank turned against me. These guys are my partners, my brothers. And they turned their backs to me. I can't do this anymore.' I felt drained, defeated.

As I bent over my desk, hands flat on the surface, frustration and anger got the better of me. I swung my arm over the desk, knocking everything to the floor. I continued until everything in the office was either scattered or broken. What a mess. 'Dios, I hate losing control.'

I sank down in my chair and sat for what seemed like hours, hashing and rehashing everything. Above it all, my Babe's poor battered face hung in front of me. 'I feel so helpless. It's a new feeling for me. It scares the shit out of me.'

When Bobby had reported her injuries to me yesterday, I froze. I knew I might lose her. I knew it would be my fault. The thought of Babe dead sent waves of fear through me. I let my fear paralyze me. Again, out of control. 'Shit.' I now knew with certainty that I couldn't keep my Babe safe. I started pacing again.

'I can't live with this fear that now constantly grips my heart. I have never feared my own death, but Babe's potential death, as a result of me, of my enemies, is more than I can bear. One way or the other, I have to put an end to this agony, this indecision. Time to man up Mañoso.'

My brothers had made their decision. I had to make mine. Time for thinking was over. It was time to act.

I reached over and retrieved the phone, dialing Miami, "Miguel, Ranger. I'm going to make some management changes to RangeMan. Yeah, now. I am moving down to Miami and Tank is going to take over Trenton. There may be some other personnel transfers. I'll be down tomorrow morning and we can go over things then." _Click._ I made several other calls and then went up to seven to pack. No looking back.

Lester's POV

"I can't believe this is really happening. The four of us have been together since basic training. We've run RangeMan together for the last eight years. And now, it's over, just like that?"

Tank, Bobby and I were still sitting in Ranger's office. It was late evening and Ranger had just gone up to his apartment after dropping his latest bomb on us.

"With Ranger moving, permanently, to Miami, things won't be the same, ever." Tank still looked stunned. "I didn't want a promotion, not like this."

Tank had served as Ranger's second from the beginning. He took over when Ranger was on missions, but he was always glad when Ranger took back the reins. Tank would now be the 'boss.'

"I know I can manage the business side of things. I'm not sure about any cooperative efforts with the Miami office, now. Ranger's put up an impenetrable wall and you know how he is. There's no looking back for him. How are we gonna make this work?"

"Well, with Ranger no longer making the decisions for the Trenton office, it makes what to do with Bombshell much easier. We can set her up in an apartment on four, get her on her feet and make sure she's safe." As the company medic, Bobby knew much of her care over the next few months would fall to him.

I knew she would need more than us tracking her to keep her safe. "Our Bomber is a disaster-magnet…just saying." I love her, more than I have any right to, but she is a high-maintenance girl. God, I hope I didn't say that out loud.

"Bottom line, Stephanie needs to improve her skills. The kind of skills only we can teach her. With what just happened to her, I'm hoping she'll be more receptive to the concept of exercise…" I saw the grins and headshakes from both of them. "Yeah, it won't be easy, but we can be very persuasive. She also needs to get comfortable with guns and she needs to develop more of a 'bad-ass' attitude."

Tank blew out air; "You're outlining a mighty tall agenda for all of us. You know you can't make her do anything she doesn't want to do." Tank rubbed both hands across his shiny head. "We're going to have work out a long-term strategy that gently nudges Bombshell in the right direction. And we have to get the rest of the men on board and sworn to secrecy."

Bobby looked at Tank and then me, "OK, I'm willing to give it a go. But…do we tell Ranger?" That's Bobby, ever the straightforward one.

To Tank's credit, he stepped into his new 'boss' boots and said, "The Trenton office is now my responsibility, not Ranger's. He has no say in day-to-day decisions as long as business is running smoothly. We're a go with…Operation Bomber."

I couldn't stop the grin that spread over my face. We had a plan: 'Operation Bomber.'

_A/N: Chapter 3 begins with Stephanie's POV. Of course we all know how obedient she is when told what to do. Ha!_


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Just borrowing, still JE's, still want MM, any of them, not picky. Not making any money. Some coarse language. This is a long chapter. Reviews truly appreciated.

_End of Chapter 2_

_Lester: I couldn't stop the grin that spread over my face. We had a plan: 'Operation Bomber.'_

**Chapter 3**

**No Pain, No Gain**

Stephanie's POV

"Stop hovering, guys. Let me walk in under my own power." I loved them for caring about me, but _sheesh_. Lester stopped trying to pick me up and he, Bobby and Tank grinned at me, then took a step back. I walked into my new place of residence.

I looked around the spartan apartment that RangeMan offered all their employees. All the balloons and little gifts people brought me while I was in the hospital were scattered throughout the living room.

I ran my hand over the 'Home Sweet Home' placard the guys had placed next to the front door. I walked over to the couch and plumped up two bright blue pillows perched at either end. Lester told me Hal had picked them out because they were the color of my eyes. _Aww_.

I leaned over and inhaled the sweet fragrance of dozens of cut flowers on the coffee table. I would lay odds that Ella had purchased and arranged them. Tank gave me a sheepish smile. "I picked out the flowers, but Ella found the vases."

Well, I was half right. I reached up to kiss his cheek, but had to grab his shirt and haul him down to do it. I swear he blushed, though with his dark skin it was hard to tell.

On the kitchen counter sat my cookie jar and Rex in his glass cage. He was buried head first in his soup can. I tapped on the glass, "Hi, Rex, good to see your furry butt again." Not even a twitch. Guess he was mad at me for being away so long.

Then I saw the white bag from Tasty Pastry and gave a little scream. Inside there were a dozen assorted doughnuts and six Boston cremes. My stomach grumbled loudly. The Merry Men know me well.

I tried to ignore the weight bench and set of barbells in the far corner. No way they were seeing any use while I lived here. When I noticed the poster from Terminator 2 showing a spectacular truck explosion, Lester gave me a big grin, "Bomber, we wanted to surround you with familiar things." I rolled my eyes.

"Guys, this is really nice. Thanks, for everything. You're the best." They were being so sweet to me, probably under Ranger's orders. I really miss that man.

When Tank had told me that Ranger was 'in the wind' and would probably be out of touch for months, I went into a funk. They said he visited me in the hospital before he left, but I was still sedated.

Each of the guys at RangeMan took a shift sitting with me in the hospital so I wouldn't be alone. My mother wasn't too happy having to walk by 'those large scary thugs dressed all in black' each time she visited me, but Grandma Mazur was in heaven. Now I had to make it up to the men for all the pinching and butt grabbing they had to endure at Grandma's eager hands.

Before I was discharged, the doctor explained all the physical therapy I would need. He also said I couldn't live alone the first few weeks. It made sense when the guys asked me to move into RangeMan so Bobby could supervise my recovery. And then there was Ella and her cooking. My decision was made. So here I am, living at RangeMan, without Ranger.

Lester came over and gave me an awkward hug, trying not to disturb my arm or touch any bruises. "Steph, we're going let you get settled. There are no plans until dinner; that's at six in the fifth floor kitchen. Ella's making lasagna, and for dessert, tiramisu," he teased. "And Bomber, we're glad you're home."

I nearly choked up. _Home_. It felt right. "I'm glad you all want me here. I promise to do your computer searches to help pay my way, since I'm not good for anything else yet."

Lester quickly refuted that claim. "Bomber, you are _always_ good for a laugh." I promptly slugged him in the arm.

Bobby kissed me on the cheek and then he gave me a stern look. "Your first priority is to get well. Second, to do whatever I tell you to do regarding your physical therapy. And third, get plenty of rest and eat as healthy as you can. That means a limit of no more than _three_ doughnuts a day."

I shot him a look of mock horror and then grinned. We'd have to see about those priorities.

Lester's POV

"_Damn_ Morelli, what a POS. What a sorry excuse for a cop and a human being." I stormed into the control room and continued to vent my anger and disgust. "Bomber's only been out of the hospital for one week, _after nearly dying_, and he's already trying to get in her pants. Hell, she's still black and blue and the pain in her ribs sends her through the roof whenever she bumps them."

Vince and Tank came out of the conference room. "What flew up your butt?" Tank asked.

I took a couple of deep breaths to calm down and replied, "I was in the garage heading out to pick up a skip and I saw Steph and Morelli sitting outside on the bench by the lobby door. Bomber didn't look happy and I couldn't help eavesdropping. Morelli was whining and begging for her to come home with him so he could show her how much he 'loved' her. It was disgusting."

"What did Steph say? Don't tell me she left with him?" All the guys leaned forward. I couldn't help grinning. "No, she shot him down, though way too gently for my liking. She's in her apartment taking a nap. Morelli left with his dick in his hand."

Vince spit out, "That a..hole doesn't have the decency to wait for Steph. He's going be hooking up with some bimbo within the week, maybe even by tonight."

"A wicked good thought just popped into my head." I couldn't help chuckling. "Let's keep an eye on Morelli and find out _who_ he's doing and where. I bet he takes her straight to his house. When we're sure they're there, we can 'arrange' for Bomber to just happen to drop by and catch them in the act. He'll nail his own ass to the wall."

I didn't want to hurt Bomber, but Morelli had been hurting her for years. She really needed to dump the cop once and for all. She had to do the dumping herself, though. The guys enthusiastically agreed to my plan. Another phase of 'Operation Bomber' put into action.

Stephanie's POV

Cal was my chauffeur for the day. We had just pulled up in front of the bonds office. As I got out, Lula came tearing out the door waving her hands and screaming. She was wearing a leopard print skintight top over a zebra print spandex mini skirt. This was my first trip out in weeks and I was glad to see someone besides a bunch of silent men dressed all in black.

I turned to ask Cal if he was coming in, but saw the look of fear in his eyes. I told him I would visit for about fifteen minutes and then we would go to my parents. He nodded and slouched down trying to appear invisible. Yeah, like that's possible for a 6'6", 280 pound black man.

Lula reached out to hug me, but I stepped back wincing in anticipation. "Girl, I'm sorry. You still got a lotta pain?" Lula looked so worried, I had to laugh which made me wince again.

"I'm healing right on schedule, but my ribs are still sore. I should lose this sling in another week or two. Bobby's got me on a hellish workout schedule. He calls it physical therapy; I call it torture. I'm exhausted. I _hate_ exercising." I greeted Connie. Vinnie's door was shut.

"The only good thing about physical therapy is I get a full body massage afterward. And you should see my Merry Man masseuse, Hector. His hands are pure magic. Are you jealous?"

Both Lula and Connie laughed and asked how they could get in on the perks at RangeMan. "I could definitely go for any of those fine men putting their hands on my body," Lula sighed. "Too bad Hector's gay though; no wandering hands." She looked disappointed.

Connie looked me over and said, "Well, you look 100% better than you did in the hospital. When are you going to be ready to get back to work? Vinnie is driving me crazy complaining about all the money he's losing with both you and Ranger gone. The only thing that's saving us is Lester, but he only works the big ticket skips."

"I'm not sure, Connie. I still have a long way to go before Bobby will pronounce me fit for field work." The fact of the matter was I wasn't sure I wanted to work for Vinnie anymore. Getting covered in garbage was losing its appeal.

Tank had been talking to me about using my unique skills, whatever _they_ were, to expand the type of jobs and clients for RangeMan. For the first time in my life, I could see myself going somewhere professionally.

Tank's POV

I can't believe it's been three months since Ranger left. Things at RangeMan have gone surprisingly smooth and everyone has adjusted to their new assignments and routines.

Our Monday morning business meeting was winding down. It had been a positive one. I had asked all four teams to attend except Woody, who was covering the monitors and phones.

"Lester, that's great news about the new clients. The Riverview is an upscale apartment building designed for hi-tech security. And the new industrial park will have eight businesses when fully leased, each requiring specialized security systems."

Hector and Zero seemed especially pleased, since they were our installation specialists. "According to my research, both jobs will be low maintenance and high profit. Good work, everyone."

Some of the guys high-fived each other and shouts of 'Hooah' echoed around the room. All eleven men and Stephanie looked pleased.

"Lester, give us an update on the D.C. contract." Lester and Stephanie had been pursuing a new business opportunity for RangeMan. It capitalized on Stephanie's abilities to make friends with anyone and quickly put them at their ease.

"Bomber and I had a productive meeting with my friend, who works for the State Department in Washington D.C., about signing a contract to provide a more personalized bodyguard service for international dignitaries and their families."

Stephanie chimed in, "When heads of governments visit the U.S. with their families, they want to do normal things like shopping and going to amusement parks. Lester's friend said many families are uncomfortable with the typical muscle-bound, unsmiling hulks that typify most bodyguards." Steph smiled apologetically to her co-workers.

"That's where I come in. I will play the role of family friend and can go into dressing rooms and bathrooms without making the wife or children uncomfortable. I still need to get better at disabling attackers and handling a gun," Stephanie grimaced.

Lester discussed the details of the contract and then he and Steph answered questions. I was proud of my girl. We ran through a few other business items and I handed out the week's assignments.

I gave a slight nod to Bobby and he stood up and held his hand out to Stephanie. "Come on, Bombshell, time for your next therapy session." Steph groaned, but got up and followed Bobby down to the gym.

The guys turned to watch her walk to the elevator, all eyes glued to her swaying backside.

_Ahem_. I cleared my throat again. _Ahem_. Bomber could hypnotize men without even being aware of the effect she had on them. We all worked so closely here that I would have to keep my eyes open for any potential problems.

"Last item on the agenda, the Miami office. Looks like Ranger has turned over all communication with us to Miguel. Fine by me. Miguel said Ranger has been doing a lot of traveling which is good because Ranger has been really hard on the Miami employees. Miguel said he has been in a perpetual bad temper."

I saw nods and head shakes around the table. We all knew why Ranger was in a foul mood.

It was time to discuss the next phase of 'Operation Bomber.' "Stephanie's break up with Morelli didn't go very well, but I don't think she will take him back." I couldn't help throwing Lester and Vince a nasty glare.

After the screaming scene Steph threw when she caught the cop in his bed with some big-busted redhead, Morelli came to RangeMan the next day begging her forgiveness. Steph met him in the lobby, with Lester and Vince following close behind.

The guys nearly ruined our break up effort by using excessive force on Morelli after Steph told him they were through and demanded that he leave. Things got ugly. She was crying when she tried to pull Lester and Vince off Morelli. To her credit, she's stayed firm and hasn't seen or even talked to the cop since.

"I think it's time to tell Steph about Ranger. Her injuries have healed, she is physically strong, and she's excited about her new job. I thought I would tell her this weekend and give her the letter Ranger left with me for her. That way she would have a couple of uninterrupted days to cry it out. What do you think?"

"I agree. It's time. Bomber needs to know the truth. She needs to move on with her life and find someone who can give her everything she deserves," Lester said, an intense look on his face.

Several of the guys smirked, knowing who Lester thought that someone was.

Vince asked, "What if she wants to go to Miami to confront Ranger? What if she goes into another depression?"

I shrugged, "We'll have to deal with it if and when it comes up. The main thing is to be there for Bomber and keep her strong."

"Which brings me to the last item to discuss. Despite herself, our Bombshell is now in really good shape…quiet down boys, and she has improved her self-defense skills. We need to take her program to the next level. She will need to learn martial arts and pass her weapons proficiency test. You're martial arts, Vince, and Lester, you're on weapons training. Meeting adjourned."

Vince's POV

As RangeMan's martial arts specialist, I had given the problem some thought over the last few days. Stephanie's signature move of a knee to the groin wouldn't always work, and she wasn't aggressive unless she was angry. In martial arts, you need to be aggressive and stay in control.

I had also given Stephanie herself a lot of thought. She was so beautiful; not classically beautiful, but when she was in the room, I couldn't take my eyes off her. Her blue eyes were mesmerizing, and when she smiled at me, my face broke out into a really goofy grin.

Whenever we touched, which I tried to do as often as possible, a spark of electricity shot through me. I had it bad. _Deep internal sigh_. Back to the business at hand.

"I have an unorthodox idea, but one I think will work with Stephanie. Now that we can't call her workouts 'physical therapy' anymore, we need to make her exercise sessions more attractive to her," I said. "One idea is to have her favorite music playing, something upbeat that encourages quick movements."

"Another is to threaten to withdraw Hector's massages if she doesn't step up her game. You know Stephanie lives for Hector's 'magic hands'." That got a serious blush from Hector and lots of laughs, as well as several offers to take Hector's place anytime.

I frowned, but continued, "The third idea may be a bit embarrassing for some of you. I think a couple of us should join her in the gym everyday, doing our own workouts and maybe challenging her to casual competitions. For example, who can do the most laps around the track or minutes on the treadmill, that sort of thing."

Hal piped up, "That doesn't sound too embarrassing. I think I could do that."

I looked over at Hal. He was painfully shy around girls, especially Stephanie. "The embarrassing part is that we will be wearing our new RangeMan gym shorts and leaving our shirts off."

I held up a pair of very short black gym shorts with the RangeMan logo. There were hoots and hollers, some outright refusals, and Hal nearly fainted.

I continued, "You need to keep things casual and spontaneous. Stephanie's smart. If you are too obvious, she will catch on. No Mr. Universe poses. Remember, you are just doing your workout. Stephanie just happens to be in the gym, too."

Cal looked worried. "You mean we are to be 'eye candy' for Bombshell? While we are exercising, we have to try to keep her interested in staring at our bodies without us noticing or…uh…reacting, if you know what I mean?" This sparked another round of laughs and under the breath muttering.

Tank held up his hand and the room quieted down. "Well, Vince, that's quite a plan. I like it, but I'm glad I'm management. All of you are going to look _so cute _parading around in your skimpy undies, coaxing Bomber to exercise harder and longer." Some groans and cries of 'no fair' and 'I can't do that' bounced around the room.

"You've got your orders, men. _No pain, no gain_. And that doesn't apply to just Bomber anymore. Now get back to work," Tank growled.

_A/N: Hey, the plan was all my muse's doing. Don't blame me!_


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Just borrowing, still JE's, still want MM, any of them, not picky. Not making any money. Some coarse language. Reviews truly appreciated.

_End of Chapter 3_

"_You've got your orders, men. No pain, no gain. And that doesn't apply to just Bomber anymore. Now get back to work," Tank growled._

**Chapter 4**

**The Letter**

Stephanie's POV

Boy, this week has been a tough one. Bobby made me double my laps on the track and now that my shoulder has healed, he's added tons of new exercises to strengthen my upper body muscles. He has a name for each muscle. I don't care what they're called, but they're killing me right now.

I like learning 'martial arts' with Vince. He's a good teacher. He's patient, which is good 'cause I'm not. He said he's going easy on me for the first week. If this is easy, heaven help me in the coming weeks.

Today we practice head rolls or somersaults. I could do them as a kid, but now I just end up flat on my back. Every move he teaches me, I end up flat on my back. Even when I do a karate kick, my foot seems to slip out from under me and 'splat,' down I go flat on my back. Vince said I was improving. I think he's full of crap.

Vince's POV

"Come on, Stephanie, you can do this. Just squat down, tuck your head and roll." I cringed as Steph fell forward and landed spread-eagle on the mat. "OK, now do it again, but this time keep your knees together, plant your feet and stand up. It's tuck, roll, and stand." She looked at me like I was crazy.

"Stephanie, the full move is actually done from a standing or running position where you dive, tuck, roll, and come up with your gun in your hand." Steph burst out laughing. I just sighed.

I did the move myself a couple of times and then walked her through it again. I got in back of her as she crouched, our lower bodies touching, spoon fashion.

Heat radiated through my groin up my abdomen. It was hard to concentrate with her pushed up against me. Feeling her softness against my bare chest…

'Stay focused, Vince.' I gently pushed her head down until her chin touched her chest, then quickly moved to her side and held her knees up against her torso as she rolled. Success!

"Yes, that's it! You did it!" She stood up grinning and then wobbled. I caught her and pulled her into my arms. Even sweaty, she smelled good. She looked up at me with those incredible blue eyes and smiled. Without thinking, I leaned down to kiss those luscious lips.

They were so soft and yielded to my lips as I increased the pressure. I tightened my arms around her and she melted into my body. I kissed her again, touching my tongue to her oh so responsive lips.

Her eyes got big and she pushed her hands against my chest. I released her, knowing I'd moved too fast, but dammit, I couldn't stop myself. She backed off looking confused, and then ran into the locker room. I guess we were done for the day.

Stephanie's POV

What just happened? Vince kissed me. Out of the blue, he just kissed me. I pulled back, but God, it felt good to have his arms around me and his body pressed against mine. Oh, and those firm full demanding lips. I am such a slut.

Move on, girl. This shower feels good. Every muscle in my body aches. I need to relax, let the hot spray loosen me up. I can still feel Vince's arms around me, his lips on mine. Whoa, Steph, snap out of it!

I'm exhausted and I still have weapons practice today. Lester increased my sessions from once a week to every other day. I hate guns!

What keeps me going is that Tank told me as soon as Vince and Lester say I've 'passed' their skill tests, I can begin working on our new bodyguard contract. Yippee, a job that lets me go shopping in New York City and go on all the rides at Disney World and eat junk food!

I must admit I'm enjoying my workout sessions a bit more this week. All of us were given new gym clothes, black, of course. Mine remind me of my high school P.E. classes. But on the well-muscled Merry Men, those cute little shorts leave nothing to the imagination.

Some of the guys are clueless, though. Poor Hal, he was in the gym yesterday and parked himself right in front of my treadmill.

With his back to me, he started doing toe touches and _YIKES!_ His very ample 'package' was presented in all its glory. Way too much information. I had to leave before I burst out laughing.

However, I could watch the guys doing pushups, sit-ups, weight training or jogging for hours. But I have to do my own exercises, or else it would be creepy—me, just standing there, staring at a bunch of sweaty, gorgeous men flexing their muscles.

Whoa, girl, calm down. Yup, another really nice perk at RangeMan. Speaking of perks, it's time for my massage. "Oh, Hector…"

Lester's POV

I signaled for the paper target to return. As it got close, I could see that Bomber had grouped all her shots nicely in the heart region. "Well, Bomber, you definitely have improved your aim. You are consistently hitting your target with nearly all your rounds. I'm proud of you."

I reached out and gave her a one-arm hug and kissed the top her head. As I buried my face in her hair, her wild curls tickled my nose and her heavenly scent made me weak in the knees.

I leaned my head back and pressed my lips to the back of her neck. I couldn't resist and ran my lips up her throat to the back of her ear. I would have continued, but she stepped back and rubbed her neck. "That tickles," she giggled.

I turned away so she wouldn't see how strongly being close to her affected me. This wasn't the right place, not with all the cameras.

"Lester, since my aim is OK, can we work on how to handle a gun under stressful situations. I've never been good at pulling the gun quickly out of my waistband or shoulder holster. I am afraid I'll shoot myself or get tripped up." Steph was still holding her gun gingerly, like it was something dirty.

I changed tactics, and made her practice drawing her gun from a variety of places and positions. By the end of the session, she was doing much better.

I wasn't. It was getting harder to be near her, to touch her just as her teacher. All I wanted to do was wrap my arms around her and kiss her senseless.

As we were putting everything away, I said, "Hey, it's Friday and we should celebrate your improvement. What do you say we go down to Pino's or Shorty's and get pizza and beer?"

"That's sound good, but Tank asked me to meet with him this evening. Can I get a rain check?" With those words, my heart sank. Bomber wasn't going to feel like spending an evening out with anyone after Tank gave her Ranger's letter. Damn my timing.

Stephanie's POV

"Hey Tank, what's up?" Tank had said he'd meet me in my apartment at 7 o'clock. He was right on time.

I looked up at his face; it was filled with worry or was it sadness. My heart skipped a beat. Had I done something wrong? Was someone hurt?

Tank came into my living room and gestured for me to sit in one of the easy chairs. He took the other one. "Stephanie, please sit." His face was tight, unreadable now.

He pulled an envelope from his jacket pocket. There was handwriting across the front, one I recognized. My heart leapt into my throat.

I stared at Tank's blank face, my eyes begging him for a smile, a laugh, something that indicated I was not going to have my heart broken. I kept saying to myself, 'please don't let him be dead.'

"Stephanie, I waited to give you this letter until you had recovered from your injuries. You nearly died that night. I wanted to make sure you were strong and in a good place before you read this letter. It's from Ranger. He gave it to me the night he left, three months ago."

"What you need to know is that Ranger isn't on one of his missions. He has left Trenton permanently. He is running the Miami RangeMan office now. He isn't coming back. He said this letter would explain everything."

Tank handed me the envelope, then pulled it back. His eyes locked on mine. He was so intense, so serious. When he spoke, his voice was low and filled with emotion.

"Bomber, I want you to know how much I and all the guys in this office, and Ella and Louis, love you. You are part of our family now and we will always be here for you. Remember that, when you finish reading this." His face now showed his concern and love. He finally turned over the fatal piece of paper.

I just sat there staring at Tank. What did he just say? Ranger's not coming back?

I slowly reached out and took the envelope. It was addressed to me and it was in Ranger's handwriting.

As I opened it, Tank stood up and squeezed my shoulder. "Bomber, I'll be right down the hall in my room if you need me. If you have any questions, I'll try to answer them the best I can." He kissed the top of my head and then he left.

I looked down at the letter, took a ragged breath and started to read.

* * *

Babe,

_I write this letter out of love, though I know it will break your heart. I apologize for causing you pain. I never wanted this to happen._

_No words can make you understand why I must leave you, why we can never be together. I will try to explain. Forgive me, Babe, I am not used to expressing my feelings, but I know you need to hear my words. _

_Please keep an open mind and try to see it from my point of view. I am laying my heart out in this letter. Please accept what must be._

_When I turned twenty, I made a decision to devote my life to the military and later, as trite it sounds, I decided to make a difference in this world by putting away bad guys. I am very good at it, and I am proud of my abilities and accomplishments. It is my mission in life. More than that, it is who I am. It is my center, my core. _

_Doing this work also means I make enemies: enemies who are powerful, enemies who are deranged, enemies who will stop at nothing to exact revenge on me. I am prepared for the eventuality that one day I won't be fast enough, or smart or good enough. I don't fear my death._

_I told you I don't do relationships. Letting someone get close to me puts a target on them. My enemies would go after them to get back at me. That's why I distanced myself from my family and from friends I had before I entered the military. _

_I was selfish with you. I thought if I kept you at the fringes of my life, it would be alright, but I didn't stop there. I fell in love with you. _

_I tried to hold you at a distance. I did everything I could to discourage you. I even sent you back to him, though it tore my heart apart. _

_You refused to stay away. You burrowed your way into my life. Your beauty, your limitless compassion, your determination, your energy, your very essence took hold in my heart._

_Te amo, Babe. Eres mi corazon, Que traen la luz en mi alma oscura. Te amare para siempre._

[I love you, Babe. You are my heart. You bring light into my dark soul. I will love you forever.]

_But…we can never be together. It was selfish of me to think I could bring you into my life, my heart, and not put you in danger. I nearly got you killed. I hate myself for being so weak._

_I nearly died when I'd learned you were injured __because of me__, because one of my enemies chose hurting you as their revenge on me. Seeing you so battered and in such great pain, knowing that you almost died, broke me. I was shattered. I lost control. _

_It became clear to me that whenever you were involved, I would always lose control. I would be unable to focus and would be distracted worrying about your safety. _

_With the type of work I do, with the missions I am called to, this could get a lot of people killed. I knew then I had to leave you, stay away from you. I had to lift the target from you. _

_So, Babe, this is the end. I am removing myself from your life. Please do not contact me or try to see me. This is the only decision left to me. I will not waver. _

_I don't want to hurt you anymore than I already have, so please, I beg of you, Babe, let this letter be the end. _

_I truly wish you all the happiness you deserve. Trust in yourself. You are the strongest person I know. _

_Be happy, mi querida._

_Carlos_

_

* * *

_

My heart stopped beating. There was no air in my lungs. I fell into a billion pieces.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Just borrowing, still JE's, still want MM, any of them, not picky. Not making any money. Some coarse language. A little light smut. Reviews truly appreciated.

_End of Chapter 4_

_My heart stopped beating. There was no air in my lungs. I fell into a billion pieces. _

**Chapter 5**

**Honor and Duty**

Ranger's POV

Ranger was furious that his attempts to catch his waiter's eye were ignored. First, it had taken forever for the waiter to take his order. Then his food had arrived cold. Now the waiter wouldn't bring him the check.

Dammit, I don't have time for incompetent waiters. I have enough incompetent people back at RangeMan. I still have to fix the mistake Miguel made with the South Beach contract. So much for a smooth day. Where are my damn keys?

Let's get the rest of this day over with. I'm glad my handler called this morning. Tonight won't come soon enough. A long mission out of country is just what I need to take my mind off of everything here.

Who's that leaning against my car? Probably some hooker who noticed the Turbo and saw dollar signs. Dios mio! Definitely not a hooker.

My sweet Babe. What is she doing here now? I expected to hear from her months ago. When she didn't call or come, I thought she had accepted me leaving. Why now? It's been over six months.

Dios, she is still so beautiful. She looks wonderful, so sexy, and strong. And _mad!_

I thought I knew how I would handle this, but all I can do is stare at her. I feel like a starving man looking at a banquet table laden with food. Let me hold her in my arms just one more time. Let me kiss those sweet lips…(_deep breath_) 'Control, Carlos, lock it down.'

"Stephanie." I was standing just a few feet away from her. Her anger was palpable.

I steeled myself for whatever she was about to say. 'Stay calm, impassive, impervious. Let her speak her piece and go back to her life, her life safe without me. I wish I was dead.'

Stephanie's POV

He's in there, eating lunch like it's any other day. Ever since I read that god-awful letter, my life has been a living hell. I thought I'd died, but no such luck.

I couldn't get out of bed for two weeks. I just cried, slept and cried some more. Then I walked around in a fog for a few more weeks; not seeing, not feeling, not crying—only existing, barely.

And, then…there was the _Intervention_. Tank had called me down for what I thought was a business meeting, but they ambushed me. The Merry Men had even called in the big guns. Lula! And Mary Lou! Geez, how embarrassing!

They did everything they could to bring me out of my depression, to get some reaction from me. All the guys took turns talking to me, pleading with me. Then Lula got in my face poking her finger into my chest and yelled at me. Mary Lou yelled even louder. They said some pretty mean things, but they were all true.

It worked. I snapped out of it. Then I got mad. Not just mad, furious. Not at them…at _him_.

I raged for another couple of weeks. I trashed my apartment several times. Lester was afraid to let me on the gun range. I nearly broke Vince's arm in a mock attack during practice. Needless to say, I passed my martial arts test.

I kept reading and rereading Ranger's letter. I could feel his pain and anguish. At first, I thought if I went to him and told him that being with him, loving him, was worth the danger, he would come back. If I could just see him, plead with him, I could convince him. But I remembered all the times he was so cold to me. Telling me to go back to Joe. He had turned away from me too many times for me to believe I could change his mind now.

And I couldn't get over the fact that he could just walk away from me; from the love he finally admitted he felt for me.

My hurt turned to anger. I was incensed that he could treat me, and our love, that way. That he could lead me along and then just dump me. Tell me he loved me with all of his heart and then dump me!

Speak to me of love only in Spanish, never in English—what, so I wouldn't know, maybe it made it less real? Tell me that leaving me was for my own good! Say all this in a f.. letter, not even to my face, then just DUMP ME!

And now, he was standing in front of me. I hadn't seen or heard from him in over six months. His face was blank, unreadable. _Fine!_ I didn't need to know what he was thinking. I didn't _want_ to know what he was thinking. I just wanted to say what I came to Miami to say and then walk away. I would do the leaving this time.

I'm sure he expects me to rant and rave and throw my arms around. I know he expects me to cry. Ranger will see a different Babe today.

"Stephanie," he called me by my name, not Babe. That's all I needed to hear.

"Ranger, I have a few things I want to say to you. I will be brief. I decided to say my deepest feelings in Spanish, since that is how you speak your true feelings to me.

Tu no sabe que es el amor. Eres un cobardo. Eres menos que un hombre.

_[You don't know what love is. You are a coward. You are less than a man.] _

You said you were weak. I agree, but not for the reasons you stated. You weren't weak for loving me; you _are_ weak for being _afraid_ to love me. You let your fear overcome you.

A man does not run when things get tough. A man fights for the woman he loves. He does not turn his back on her and just walk away.

You said you did this to protect me, to lift a target from me. Life is filled with risks. Love doesn't come with guarantees. Being with you under _any_ circumstance, no matter the risk, would have been worth it to me.

But you gave me no say in the matter. You couldn't even tell me to my face. By leaving me the way you did, you showed me great disrespect.

Your actions showed me you had no faith in me, no faith in what we could become. That is what hurt me the most. I've had a lifetime of people not believing in me. I thought you were different.

I deserve a man who believes in me, who will stand beside me against the world if need be. You are not willing to take that risk. I always thought love could overcome anything. I guess I was wrong. It couldn't overcome your fear.

Tu es un hombre de honor y el deber, pero vive solo la mitad de una vida sin amor en ella. Te compadezco.

_[You are a man of honor and duty, but you live only half a life without love in it. I pity you.] _

Goodbye, Carlos."

Stephanie walked away without a backward glance and left him standing there next to his shiny, immaculate, expensive black Porsche.

She didn't see him when he collapsed against the car, deep racking sobs shaking his entire body.

Tank's POV

Bomber sure surprised me. I never suspected she was going down to Miami. She took off her trackers and outwitted us all.

We were in panic mode until she called and told us where she was. Lester and Vince immediately demanded to go bring her back, but she said she would be home in a few hours and not to worry.

True to her word, she returned that evening. She came back with a whole new attitude. She was stronger, more sure of herself. No hesitation, no fear. What I would have given to witness that confrontation. That was eight weeks ago.

She still has that big bright smile and infectious laugh. It's so good to hear her laugh again. Her sweet nature and compassion for others is still front and center. She is amazing.

Bomber bounced into my office, an eager look lighting up her face. "I hope you have good news for me, Tank. I'm getting tired of doing searches and distractions and following the guys around on alert calls."

I grinned, "This is your lucky day. Flora called from D.C. this morning and said that His Royal Highness Prince Saud Al-Faisal Bin, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia, would like to hire RangeMan to escort his wife and daughter around New York this weekend. They will be shopping for the daughter's wedding trousseau."

Bomber shrieked and started dancing around. "I love it. My first job and it is shopping _haute couture_ in New York City with a real live Arabian princess."

I laughed and continued, "The Minister wants to ensure that they are protected, but the wife refuses to have the regular Saudi Arabian bodyguards in the wedding salon and department stores. They were very agreeable when Flora explained the type of personal services we could provide."

"I've booked plane tickets and room reservations for Vince and you from Friday through Tuesday. Here's the file with all the contact info."

Vince's POV

I can't believe my good luck. I am spending five nights alone with Stephanie in New York. Well, not exactly alone. During the day, we will be guarding two VIPs. Hanging around a bunch of women trying on wedding dresses doesn't do much for me, unless Steph tries some on too. Hmmm.

Hopefully, most of our nights will be free, just the two of us. There won't be any RangeMan employees along and no cameras. And especially no Lester. It's obvious those two have a connection.

I have to control myself whenever they get together. He is always touching Steph and finding some pretense to hug her, not that I don't do that too. They say competition sharpens the senses.

Ever since she came back from Miami, Steph is like a new person. She is happy all the time and exudes confidence and energy. God, she's so sexy and beautiful.

I have to be smart about how I approach Stephanie this weekend. If I go too fast, I may scare her off, but if I hang back I'm afraid I'll lose my opportunity with her. It's scary to admit, I'm falling in love with Stephanie Plum.

Lester's POV

"Tank, how could you send Bomber to New York with that hairy gorilla? I should have that assignment. Who better than me to protect Bomber." I was fuming. I was a partner in this company. I should get first pick on plum assignments, or is that _Plum_ assignments.

Tank shot me a warning look. "Lester, that attitude is exactly why I didn't pair you up with Bombshell for this job. With your current attitude, your first priority would be to protect Stephanie, not the clients. That is unacceptable."

"Until you acknowledge that Bomber can take care of herself and handle dangerous situations, I can't allow you on assignments with her. You have to be able to treat her like any other partner or it just won't work. Bomber deserves that kind of respect from all of us." Tank sat back and folded his arms across his chest. "When you prove to me you can do that, I'll pair you two up."

I glared at Tank, fighting an impulse to keep arguing. "You're right. Bomber deserves our support and trust in her abilities. That's what we all have been working so hard for in her training sessions. She's good, she's learned a lot, especially in the last two months." I muttered under my breath _'since she's come back from Miami.'_

I had wanted to ask her what happened in Miami, what happened between her and Ranger. My curiosity was burning a hole in my brain. As far as I know, she hadn't confided in anyone. I even asked Lula and Mary Lou. All I knew is that she was a changed person, and changed for the better. I should leave well enough alone.

"Tank, what's the latest on Ranger and the Miami office?" I could at least keep tabs on the SOB. Tank replied, "Miguel said that Ranger is 'in the wind.' Has been for a couple of months. Miguel wasn't sorry to see him go. Ranger's constant temper and derision were really eating at the staff."

Stephanie's POV

I'm in New York City! I get to go shopping for expensive clothes and for the first time in my life I can afford it. Life is good!

Vince and I were sitting in the _Cupcake Café_ off 9th Avenue eating _designer_ doughnuts and going over our agenda for the next five days. I had to grin at the place's name. We'd already walked around Times Square and the Theater District and my stomach started growling. Vince found this place so I could feed the beast before it got too loud.

Vince watched me start on my third doughnut. "As soon as you finish eating that last humongous doughnut, we need to get back to Manhattan to meet with Mara Urshel, the president of Kleinfeld's bridal salon, and check out the facility. Then we should scope out the rest of the stores on our list and get comfortable with our transit route, each building we'll be in, its exits, security cameras, etc."

"What do you mean, my last doughnut?" I gasped. "I was planning on downing at least three more." Vince's mouthed dropped open, "You can't be serious, each one of those sugar and lard bombs is as big as a small child's head. You can't still be hungry?"

"Besides, our appointment is in twenty minutes. We have just enough time to catch a cab and make it back to Manhattan. Let's go." Vince grabbed my hand, dragged me out to the street and hailed a cab. I looked longingly back at the windows filled with cakes, pies and doughnuts. _Sigh._

Kleinfeld's was incredible. There were gowns in every shade of white and ivory and miles of lace and satin. People to wait on you hand and foot. It was a princess' dream. Mara was gracious and very accommodating. We felt comfortable with our security precautions. The rest of the day went well.

"We meet up with our clients at 9:30 tomorrow morning at Kleinfeld's. Be prepared for a long day." Vince advised.

"OK, but what are we going to do tonight—see a Broadway show, visit the Empire State Building, what do you want to do?" I was excited to go out on the town. "Or would you prefer to be by yourself?" I asked hesitantly.

Vince reached up and brushed my cheek with the back of his hand. "If you don't mind me presuming, I made dinner reservations for us at _Per Se_ at 8 o'clock. Then we hit the clubs. I was thinking we'd start with something a little offbeat, say _Crobar_ or _Club Spirit_ for some dancing and people watching, and end the night a little cozier at _Zanzibar_. What do you think?"

My mouth fell open. How did Vince know so much about New York and its nightlife? I knew zip, so I was more than happy to follow his lead. Now to get spruced up.

Vince's POV

When Stephanie met me in our hotel lobby, I was rendered speechless. She was _hot_. She had on a cobalt blue dress that showed off her long legs and clung to every curve, and _such curves_. WOW! She was a couple of inches taller wearing silver high-heeled shoes with dark blue straps wrapped around her ankles.

I couldn't wait to dance with Steph. What I really wanted to do was unwrap those straps from her ankles, slip those shoes off her feet, then slide my hands up those forever legs and…_pfhew_, 'don't go there, Vince, at least not now.'

Dinner was wonderful. Stephanie kept making these soft moans as she savored each dish. I was squirming all evening trying to maintain a comfortable position as my body reacted to her whimpers of gustatory ecstasy. How can she consume so much and still look so great?

We spent the rest of the night dancing to the point of exhaustion and marveling at the club scene. It was everything I'd hoped for, watching Stephanie dance seductively, yet oblivious to the guys panting over her. I didn't let her dance with anyone but me. Holding her close was both ecstasy and agony.

As I walked her up to her hotel room, Stephanie leaned up and gave me a quick kiss, "Tonight was one of the best nights of my life. Thank you, Vince. It's late and tomorrow is a big day, so good night, and again thank you." She gave me a second kiss, walked into her room and shut the door behind her. Disappointment doesn't begin to cover what I was feeling.

Stephanie's POV

The day was going well. Both mother and daughter spoke English, which made things go much smoother. Their bodyguards were responsible for the women's transportation and nighttime security, but we were responsible for them inside the stores and restaurants.

We were playing the part of old family friends out for a day of shopping. Vince and I were dressed smart but casual, our weapons concealed under well-tailored suits. Vince looked happy and relaxed, but I knew he was constantly surveying our surroundings.

It turned out this was a rush visit. They had only four days in New York to buy a wedding dress, have it altered and sent back home. The wedding was next weekend. No explanation for the rush was given.

I was with the mother and daughter in the dressing room. Nadia, the daughter, had tried on a 'bazillion' gowns and was finally down to the top two. She started crying and mumbling in Arabic. I glanced helplessly at Haleema, the mother.

We finally understood that Nadia wanted her father there to help her choose. Haleema confided that Nadia was Papa's little girl and she was getting cold feet at the thought of moving away from him. _Sheesh._ 'Does my job description include crying brides? How do I protect her from this?'

I pulled out my cell phone and told Nadia to try on both dresses. I would take pictures and she could send them immediately to her father in Saudi Arabia. They could then talk and make a decision over the phone. Both mother and daughter flung their arms around me, choking me. Everything went like clockwork. Both Nadia and her father cried over the phone, but the tears were happy ones. A crisis averted. Chock up bonus points for the Bomber.

Vince and I had the rest of the evening to ourselves. I was exhausted and opted for a night in with room service and a pay per view movie. Vince said that sounded good and asked if I minded if he joined me. It would give us time to finalize our strategy for the next three days.

Vince's POV

Stephanie and I had finished eating burgers and a heaping plate of fries. We were stretched out on her bed. Steph was wearing a soft well-worn t-shirt, 'no bra' and a pair of boxer shorts two sizes too big for her. My mind was in overdrive. We were watching the classic thriller _'Wait until Dark.'_ I was petrified, but not from the movie.

I have mapped out battle strategies for military invasions. I have been with more women than I care to admit. So, why am I trembling like a schoolboy trying to get up the nerve to steal my first kiss?

All of a sudden Stephanie screamed, wrapped her arms tightly around my chest and buried her face in my shoulder. I hadn't been paying attention, but I realized something scary must have happened in the movie. I wasn't complaining. I smiled to myself, held her close and kissed her curls. She peeked out and continued watching the movie with her arms still holding me close. My body was humming with her soft, sexy body pressed lightly to mine.

As the movie ended, she sighed and looked up at me. I smiled a little and kissed the tip of her nose. She didn't pull away. I lightly brushed her lips with mine. She didn't object. I shifted a little to my side to face her and kissed her with a little more force. She pressed her hands into my back. I ran my hands up and down her back lightly stroking her.

Then, she _kissed me_! Hard and passionately. I had to mentally shout at myself to go slow. As we continued to kiss, she brought her knee slowly up between my legs. The sensation along my thighs was electrifying and then it traveled up to my groin. I was hard, and more than a little turned on.

Running my hand down to her buttocks, I pulled her in closer pressing our hips together. It felt like a furnace where our bodies joined. I groaned as she responded by grabbing my ass and sensuously swiveling her hips against me. She was on fire, and hell, I was ready to explode.

I brought my hand up to caress her silky curly hair and kissed her, again and again. I broke off our kiss and buried my lips in her hair inhaling her scent and then moved down to her sweet neck. She tasted incredible.

I licked and gently nibbled her soft skin from her earlobe down to her collarbone. Then I sucked a little harder, leaving a faint mark. She moaned and pressed her lips to my neck repeating the love bite on me. I was in full-blown arousal.

I reclaimed her mouth, this time not so gently, my lips questing, my tongue flicking her top lip until she opened up to me. Our tongues met and 'danced' together. Our bodies responded by grinding into each other.

I shifted my weight again until I covered her body with mine. She slipped her hands under my shirt and dug her nails into my back. 'Stephanie, I want you,' I whispered.

I leaned my head back and looked at her. She opened her eyes and I swear they were midnight blue. She gave me a soft smile, her eyes filled with lustful desire. I covered her mouth with mine more forcefully while I skated my hand across her smooth stomach. Things were happening faster and seemingly of their volition.

Stephanie slipped her hand under my shirt and stroked my stomach. Her fingers moved up and gently grasped my chest hair. She continued to caress my entire front torso, playing with my chest hair, my nipples and my abs. Every place she touched my skin felt on fire.

In response I moved my hand up under her t-shirt and cupped her breast, rubbing my thumb across her nipple. She moaned and then whimpered as I held my palm against her hard tip and rubbed slowly in a circular motion. After several minutes of this, I couldn't resist anymore and lifted her shirt up and took her breast into my mouth. Perfect round breasts and oh so responsive nipples. God, what a turn on!

I sucked her nipple between my teeth and flicked it repeatedly with my tongue, slowly increasing both speed and pressure. Steph started to reach up and touch her other breast, so I moved my mouth to it and began all over sucking and nibbling, using my hand to continue teasing and rolling her other now wet nipple.

Stephanie was breathing heavily now and writhed under my body pressing her mound against my erection. I was dizzy from the sensation.

She called my name softly and I immediately was at her neck with urgent kisses and then sought her lips with mine. In one swift movement I pressed my body into hers, my knee separating her legs. I ran my hand down the length of her torso, dipping under the waistband of her shorts and firmly cupped her mound.

Not so softly this time, Stephanie cried out, " Oh, god, Vince. I need you! It's been so long."

My head was pounding. No…someone was pounding on the door. What the f…?

Stephanie and I looked at each other, confused, slowly coming back to awareness. Who would be pounding on the door at this hour?

_A/N: Sorry to break it off here, but this chapter is getting long. Please let me know what you think so far. _


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Just borrowing, still JE's, still want MM, any of them, not picky. Not making any money. Some coarse language. Reviews truly appreciated.

_End of Chapter 5_

_Stephanie and I looked at each other, confused, slowly coming back to awareness. Who would be pounding on the door at this hour?_

**Chapter 6**

**Lysistrata**

_There are a lot of things about us women_

_That sadden me, considering how men_

_See us as rascals. As indeed we are!_

Haleema's POV _(her thoughts are in Arabic, but I don't speak it, so forgive the English, please)_

I can't believe she is gone. What has happened to her? Has she been kidnapped? Or something worse? Please don't let it be that. I only hope these Americans can help us find her. Why doesn't she answer the door?

"Knock again, harder. Miss Stephanie has to be in there." The guards pounded on the hotel room door again.

The large man opened the door, the dark haired one who looked Greek. He looked angry. I glanced past him, and yes, I could see Miss Stephanie on the bed. 'Oh my, what have we interrupted?' The man, I think his name was Vincent, greeted us politely in the Arabic fashion, "Peace be upon you." I replied automatically, "And upon you peace." He then asked why we were there.

I said, "Please forgive this untimely intrusion. May we come in and discuss an urgent matter?" Vincent gestured us in and offered me a chair. He asked if I would like some tea. 'This one is well-mannered and follows the social graces.' Miss Stephanie returned from the other room modestly clothed again, thankfully. My guards had been shocked and greatly distracted.

I continued, "I apologize again for barging in here this late at night. It is an emergency. My daughter Nadia is missing. We suspect she was kidnapped. We are not getting much cooperation from the hotel or the police. They say she is an adult and has only been gone for a few hours. Please, can you help us?"

Miss Stephanie came over and took my hand. "Haleema, don't worry about that. Tell us about Nadia, please. When did you realize she was missing?"

"I went to her room to say goodnight to her. That was at 9:30, three hours ago." I said. "I immediately told my chief of security and they searched the hotel and bar next door. We then met with the hotel manager and security head. They called the police for us. We told the police everything we knew, but they said they could not help us until Nadia was missing for 48 hours. I am worried she has been kidnapped and is in danger."

Vincent asked, "Was her room disturbed? Was there anything missing, her purse, her passport, clothes?

I replied, "I do not know. I did not think to look. I was frantic to find her."

Vincent took charge and explained to me that we needed to go back to my hotel, search her room and meet with the hotel manager again. The he began questioning my guards.

Vince's POV

Talk about bad timing, that knock on the door was the absolute worst. I'm still shaking from the effort to come down from my high with Stephanie. That was too rude a disruption on my body, but right now I have to focus on how best to track down Nadia. I wonder how Stephanie is handling this?

I had Haleema go through Nadia's room. She discovered that her daughter's purse, which was a large tote bag, was missing. In it, Nadia kept her wallet with three credit cards and about $400 in U.S. currency. She also had her passport and cell phone in there. Nadia's niqah (which I learned was a traditional Muslim head covering), her coat and at least two changes of clothes were also missing. This was beginning to look more like a runaway than a kidnapping.

Haleema's chief of security and I met with the hotel staff, but no one remembered seeing Nadia after 6:30 in the evening. I asked if we could view the hotel's video feed. There were security cameras at the front door and all three of the side entrances. It took a while to go through them, but we finally saw someone wearing a niqah leaving through the front lobby doors at 7.

The hotel staff didn't recognize her because her face was covered. Her mother said Nadia had never worn the veil in America. She only wore it for the return to Saudi Arabia. The camera showed the woman getting into a cab.

I asked Stephanie to gently question Haleema for any clue as to why her daughter might run away. It was now 3 a.m. Nadia had been missing for eight hours. She could be anywhere. I went to the cab company to track down where the cab took her.

Stephanie's POV

"Haleema, we know that Nadia left the hotel wearing her veil and got into a cab. She did this voluntarily. She was not kidnapped. Do you have any idea why she would leave without letting you know?" I looked at her with all the sympathy I could muster.

The mother looked scared and started to cry. She was wringing her hands, rocking back and forth and talking to herself in Arabic. I put my hand on her shoulder and asked again. Haleema looked up with a panicked expression. "If Nadia went away with him, all is lost," she cried. I asked her to explain. She shook her head.

"I have to know everything, if we are to find your daughter. Let us help you," I told her. She slumped back in her chair and started crying again, her face buried in her hands.

My phone rang; it was Vince. The cab had dropped Nadia off at La Guardia. She had purchased a plane ticket for Las Vegas, the plane left six hours ago. Vince had called an associate office in Vegas that RangeMan had worked with in the past and faxed them the pertinent information and a picture of Nadia. They were going to pick up her trail from the airport.

I relayed this news to Haleema. She finally calmed down enough to talk and told me the whole story. The reason for the rushed wedding was that Nadia had fallen in love with an unsuitable man. He was Muslim but followed Shi'ah beliefs, a different school of law, and he was in opposition to the ruling government in Saudi Arabia. Nadia's father was a key member of that government and this would ruin the family. When her parents had discovered this clandestine relationship, they immediately arranged for Nadia to marry a first cousin on her father's side. After much arguing and tears, Nadia had agreed to the marriage.

Haleema explained that honor and duty were first and foremost in her country. Love meant little in these matters. Marriages were to make or solidify alliances. This custom had worked well for centuries. While Nadia was raised in a modern Saudi Arabia, attending college, traveling to other countries and exploring a wide range of career opportunities, she had been raised to live by orthodox Sunni/Hanafi beliefs and traditions.

'Honor and duty.' These words struck me hard. They were the same words I had used to berate Ranger. Here was another culture, peopled by millions of souls across the world that believed that honor and duty were more important than love. I knew I had to rethink my feelings about Ranger. But first I had to help find Nadia.

I called Vince and told him the whole story, including the boyfriend's name and description. I prepared Haleema for the possibility that her daughter might already be married, as quick weddings were a main reason why many people go to Las Vegas.

I stayed with Haleema all day Sunday. Vince continued working with the Saudi security team and the Vegas guys. They eventually found Nadia and she was with the man her mother feared. They were married and had consummated the marriage. If their families would not accept them, they said they were not returning to Saudi Arabia. It was a sad situation, but we could do no more for them.

Tank told us to come home. We were back in Trenton late Sunday afternoon.

Tank's POV

I just finished debriefing Stephanie and Vince regarding their New York assignment. They both handled it very well, especially given the unusual circumstances. Bonuses would be coming to both of them. As they got up to leave, I asked Bomber to stay.

After Vince shut the door behind him, I studied Steph for a minute. She had been fairly quiet for Steph, thoughtful as if she was really mulling something over. I asked her how she was doing.

She closed her eyes and leaned her head back, as if pondering what to say to me. When she spoke, it wasn't what I expected. "How do you feel about Ranger, after all that has happened?" she asked.

The question caught me off guard and I had to think about it for a minute. "Ranger has been my best friend for over fifteen years. We have saved each other's lives many times. I consider him my brother. I'm not happy with him right now. I don't agree with his decision to leave you or New Jersey. I am also extremely worried about him. I know him better than anyone and he is not himself, hasn't been since you were kidnapped and brutalized by that gang."

Bomber's eyes filled with tears, but her voice was steady. "I know we talked about this months ago, but tell me again what you think happened to Ranger."

I explained how Ranger had been paralyzed with fear for her, and that something snapped inside him when he saw her lying in that hospital bed. I told her I thought he had something close to a nervous breakdown, but Ranger had the ability to hide all emotion, even from himself. I went on to say I thought he was still struggling to come to terms with his feelings, that he was deep in denial.

Bomber didn't say anything. She just stared at the floor, deep in thought. "Stephanie, look at me please." She lifted her head and gave me a wan smile. I asked, "Do you still love him?" In a quiet voice, she said, "Yes." Then she got up and walked out the door.

I couldn't believe how FUBAR this all was.

_A/N: FUBAR: F….. up beyond all reason._

Lester's POV

Bobby and I were putting up the last of the balloons for Bomber's celebration. Hal and Ram had just arrived with pizza and beer. Zero and Hector were setting up the stereo and karaoke machine. The rest of the guys began cracking open beers. Steph and Vince were expected in a few minutes.

A couple of months earlier we had converted an unused room on the fourth floor into a lounge/TV room. Today we were holding a party in the lounge for Bomber (yeah, and Vince) to show her how proud we were of her on completing her first bodyguard assignment and a difficult one at that.

I turned around and saw Bomber and Vince at the door with surprised looks on their faces. I only had eyes for Bomber. She was proving, to herself and to others, that she was capable of doing anything she put her mind to. I hurried over to her and swept her up in a big hug. She laughed and held on tight as I swung her around several times. Vince tried hard to keep his face neutral. I just laughed.

_Later that same evening:_

The evening had been a lot of fun. Everybody ate too much pizza and drank too much beer. Karaoke was a disaster, but extremely funny. Surprisingly Woody had a great voice and he and Bomber did several duets that were pretty good. Most of us were sitting around on the couches or stretched out on the floor, enjoying a light buzz from the beer.

Tank launched into one of his Army R&R stories about _"the time a bunch of us went into a bar in Malaysia, and three gorgeous hookers came up to me and…"_ After he finished, everyone tried to top it with their favorite bar story. When all the guys had told their tall tales, we turned and looked expectantly at Bomber. She looked like a deer caught in headlights. We kept coaxing her and she finally relented.

Stephanie's POV

I was surprised when all the guys expected me to tell an embarrassing story about _me in a bar_. Gosh, there were so many and none that I wanted to share with my co-workers. I thought for several minutes and remembered something that happened to Mary Lou and I when we were just eighteen. I thought if I approached it carefully it might help me with a problem I had just realized earlier in the day that I needed to resolve.

"My story starts when Mary Lou and I were backpacking through Europe and the Mediterranean the summer we graduated from high school." The guys laughed, Bobby let out a wolf whistle and Zero made sucking noises into his palm. I punched both of them. In many countries, men harass single young female foreigners in this fashion.

I continued, "Mary Lou and I were in Greece. Mary Lou had come down with a case of the runs and was confined to our hostel. I went out by myself to explore the ancient city of Athens. I stopped at a tavern…(_more catcalls and whistles from the guys_)…and the minute I entered I was surrounded by a bunch of eager men of all ages, shapes and sizes. They were all leering, talking to me at once, touching my arms and shoulders, and then one of them made the mistake of grabbing my butt. I turned around to the worst offender, slapped his hand away and angrily shouted, '_Is that how you would treat your sister?_"

"Luckily, he spoke English. At first he looked stunned, then he began apologizing profusely and said something to the rest of the men. They all nodded and became instant gentlemen. I was escorted to a table and brought a glass of something that smelled like pine trees. The young man I had slapped sat down at the table with me. The rest of the men pulled up chairs and sat close to us. I know I had a confused look on my face. I asked him what just happened."

"He grinned at me and told me that I had 'invoked the bond of family' and now it was as if I was a sister or cousin to all of them. He explained that in Greece, men are taught to protect their women, not only from other men, but also from the women themselves. With a straight face he said that women were irrational creatures, filled with uncontrollable lusts, and as honorable men it was their duty to keep them safe." This got a bunch of laughs and embarrassing comments from the Merry Men.

I went on, in spite of the grinning jerks around me. "I sat there for a few minutes trying to understand what he had just said. I didn't know if I was offended or angry, or pleased that they were now going to stop harassing me. The handsome young man, whose name was Spiro, told me that I could go to any family style tavern in Greece and invoke this bond and I would be safe from harassment. I wasn't sure I believed him, but it seemed to be working here."

"I spent the rest of the evening drinking retsina and dancing with each of the men, some old enough to be my great grandfather. I found myself sitting on the older men's laps and being swung off my feet in wild crazy dances by the younger men. I had the best time. I truly felt safe with each and every one of them. They walked me home, each kissing me several times on my cheeks before letting me go to my room."

"What Spiro _didn't_ see the need to tell me was that I would now be constantly followed by these men, because it was now their duty to protect me and single young women shouldn't be alone. Several of the men, including Spiro, were waiting outside the hostel for Mary Lou and I the next morning."

"Spiro invited us to a family wedding celebration, which we enthusiastically accepted. The celebration was at Spiro's family home, a large rambling stucco house near the sea. The wedding ceremony was beautiful and there were hundreds of guests at the celebration. The party lasted three days. Mary Lou and I had the time of our lives, and not once were we pinched, groped or treated disrespectfully."

I finished up my story and grinned wickedly at the guys. Laughing as I said it, I 'invoked the bond of family' asking them all to be my honorable _Greek Guys_, protecting me from other men and from myself, being the 'wanton creature' that I was.

The guys looked puzzled at first, and then their eyes opened wide as they realized the implications. Tank finally laughed, reached over and kissed my cheek, "Welcome to the family, Sis," he said. The rest of the guys good-naturedly gave me a quick peck and some lewd comments about my past and future virtue. Only Vince and Lester hung back. We sat around joking and telling tales for another half hour or so until everyone started to drift off to their apartments.

Vince asked if he could speak to me alone. Lester reluctantly left. Vince hesitated, his hands in his pockets. Finally he blurted out, "Stephanie, that was a really cute story, but you don't expect me to treat you like my sister, do you? Not after last night?"

Last night seemed like ages ago. I knew only one way to do this and that was head on. I laid my hand on his arm, "I care for you, Vince. I don't regret our time together, but I can't let it go any further." The hurt look in his eyes made my heart sink.

I continued, "I had thought it was time to move on with my life, but I realized today that it was too soon. I'm not ready to begin a relationship with anyone right now."

His eyes bored into me. I could see hurt and then hope in his face. He asked, "Are you saying that you just need some time before you would be open to starting a relationship or are you saying that you don't want a relationship with me, now or ever?"

I didn't know how to answer his question. I was attracted to Vince, I think I could even love him. It would be easy to fall into a comfortable 'friends with benefits' relationship, but that is sort of what I had had with Joe. With Joe there was always something missing, a piece of my heart that no longer belonged to me. I wouldn't do that again, to myself or to another man.

"Honestly Vince, I don't know what to think. I know that I have a lot of things to sort out and it would be unfair of me to get involved with anyone now. I don't know when I will or _if_ I will ever be ready. I need to have my friends around me, but that's all I can let any relationship become, just friends."

He turned away and stood still for a few minutes. Then he looked at me with the saddest expression and said, "Stephanie, I'll be one of your honorable Greek Guys, but I don't know for how long. I'm not sure I can be around you and just stay friends." And he left.

I felt horrible. I knew that I had hurt Vince, but I also knew I had made the only decision my conscience would allow. I was in love with another man and I always would be. It didn't matter that I would never be with him again.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: Just borrowing, still JE's, still want MM, any of them, not picky. Not making any money. Some coarse language. Reviews truly appreciated.

_End of Chapter 6_

_I felt horrible. I knew that I had hurt Vince, but I also knew I had made the only decision my conscience would allow. I was in love with another man and I always would be. It didn't matter that I would never be with him again. _

**Chapter 7**

**Thumbs Down**

Lester's POV

I had been pacing in my apartment for nearly twenty minutes, waiting for Bomber to walk past my open door. Our little celebration party had been going so well until Bomber finished her story. She couldn't have meant what I think she said. I was just going over to her, but Vince grabbed her before I could, damn him. I looked up; she was striding down the hall. I ran after her.

"Bomber, I know it's late, but can we go into your apartment and talk for a minute?" I tried to sound casual and upbeat. She sighed and waved me inside. I walked past her into her living room, trying to quiet my racing heart. I felt like an unopened can of soda someone just shook up. I hadn't allowed myself to feel this way about a woman since I joined the Army. I wasn't going down without a fight.

She started speaking, "Lester, let me explain…" I couldn't let her dash my hopes, not until I gave it my best shot. I moved swiftly to her, grabbed her by her upper arms and kissed her full on the lips. As I pulled back a little, she whispered, "Lester, _please_, I need to say…"

I cupped her chin in my hand and kissed her again. I put my heart and soul into that one kiss. I needed her to know, to feel, what I felt for her. I wrapped my arms around her slender form melding my body to hers, kissing her passionately. I could feel all the blood rushing from my brain and a deep warmth spread throughout my loins as my body reacted to Bomber. I couldn't stop kissing those soft, sensuous lips.

I ran my hand down to the small of her back and pulled her in closer. She put a hand up to my chest and pushed a little away from me, but I tightened my arms around her. As I continued our embrace, I slid my face against her cheek and whispered in her ear, "Stephanie, I have wanted to kiss you like that since the first day we met. I have dreamed of it and fantasized about us ever since. But I knew that you and Ranger had a thing, so I've kept my distance. I am afraid I've waited too long. Please tell me I still have a chance to win your heart. Please don't hold me to a silly oath."

I felt her slump down in my arms, her forehead against my chest. I had a sinking feeling I wasn't going to like what she was about to say. I lifted her chin up again and kissed her softly this time. I leaned back and looked hopefully at her. She had tears in her eyes. I REALLY wasn't going to like this.

Bomber slowly disengaged herself from my arms. I felt a part of me dropping away. She sat down on the couch and looked forlornly up at me. I sat down next to her and took her hand in mine.

She began, "Lester, you have been the best friend a girl could ever want." That did it, the line no man wants to hear from a beautiful woman. "You have always been there when I needed you. You make me laugh. You are always kind and gentle with me. You are such a handsome and sexy man. You deserve a woman who can love you with every fiber of her being. I'm not that woman."

She put her finger to my lips as I started to protest. "Please Les, I need to say this. I won't be with a man and not be able to give him all of my heart. I went down that road with Joe and it wasn't fair to him or to me. I won't do that to you now. And I know you don't want to hear it, but…God help me, I love another man. He doesn't want me, but I can't help how I feel."

I listened to her extol all my virtues. At one time I would have been flying high, now my heart just crashed. "So you're telling me I'm a great guy, I did everything right and I still lost?" She held my gaze but didn't say anything. "And Ranger did everything wrong, he dumped you, and he still won? I'm assuming its Ranger you were referring to?" She dropped her eyes and nodded.

I felt like there was a game of pinball being played in my heart. I was hurting for myself, I was disappointed in Bomber, yet I ached for her knowing the pain she was in, and I was furious at Ranger for leaving us with an impossible situation.

I had to continue, "You know Ranger doesn't change his mind. He thinks things through, makes his decision and doesn't look back. You're holding on to a love that can never be. You deserve more than that, Bomber. Please don't tell me that you have accepted a lifetime of loneliness and heartbreak because of him? I couldn't bear that life for you."

She broke down crying. I couldn't stand it when she cried. I did what I always do. I held her in my arms and was one of her honorable Greek Guys, even while my heart was breaking into a million pieces. I wanted to kill Ranger for doing this to her…to us.

There was a high-pitched squeaking sound in the background. Rex was running in his wheel. Guess I should get the WD-40 out.

Ranger's POV

_Somewhere along the Arizona/Mexico Border_

"Mi amigo, que ahora esta en la frontera. Esta en tu propia. Se trata de un parque natural, y no tiene el trafico. Seguir este camino de tierra al norte de la autopista ocho. Vaya a la derecha de Gila Bend y Phoenix. No hay puestos de control. Hasta que nos veamos de nuevo, Nacho."

_[My friend, you are now across the border. You are on your own. This is a wildlife refuge and has no traffic. Follow this dirt road north to Interstate 8. Go right to Gila Bend and Phoenix. There are no checkpoints. Until we see each other again, Nacho.]_

As they drove away in a cloud of dust, I breathed a huge sigh of relief. For the last three days, I had been guiding these worthless thugs through some of the most desolate desert in the world, hauling a load of Bolivian cocaine bound for the States. We managed to avoid law enforcement and monitored checkpoints, though it got hairy a couple of times.

I was used to dealing with the scum of the earth while on missions, but this one was wearing thin. The Pinacates were blazing hot and there was nothing but sand and cactus for miles. 'I hate the desert and I hate Mexico. Give me the jungle any day.'

It had taken me three months posing as a drug smuggler to win the trust of Ignacio 'Nacho' Montoya. I was close to discovering who was at the top of this particular drug cartel. The feds wanted 'El Jefi,' not the little guy. Nacho was second in command and I was sure I could get him to lead me to the top guy with the next shipment of coke.

In the meantime, I had to deal with my conscience knowing I'd helped transport hundreds of pounds of cocaine into the U.S. Not my finest hour. I _had to_ get out of my contract after this mission. I was finally ready to make a change. This was no longer fulfilling or fun.

I knew what I wanted…my Babe. I saw her face every night. I felt her body curled up against mine…it was killing me. How could I have ever left her? I must have been out of my fucking mind. And now she hated me. I deserved every word she said to me that day in Miami. The full impact of what I'd done to her, what I'd lost, nearly destroyed me. Every day and every night for the past three months I've mentally punished myself, going over her last words to me. The job punished me physically. I sweat like a pig 24/7. I'd dropped at least forty pounds, my GI tract was a mess, and I couldn't shake these ice pick headaches. 'You really fucked up this time, Mañoso.'

Stephanie's POV

The last two weeks have been hard. I have come to accept that I love Ranger. The anger has passed and the hurt has faded to a dull roar. Now I am simply confused about what to do with all these feelings that have no outlet and no possibility of fulfillment. I am also feeling guilty for hurting two men that I care for deeply.

I waited for Vince or Lester to get angry with me, treat me with disdain or avoid me entirely. Instead they have both been sweet and caring, and act as if nothing happened. But I know them and I know they're both still hurting and must be at least a little angry. I hope we can all get through this and still remain good friends. I really need my friends right now. I also need a dozen doughnuts. And a tub of Chunky Monkey. And some Butterscotch Krimpets. Yeah, that should do it.

Fortunately, I haven't had much time to wallow in self-pity, as things have really been busy at RangeMan. To my surprise, Tank brought me in to negotiate a security contract with a new client. I enjoy the business side, but I miss the excitement of fieldwork. I'm impatient for my next bodyguard assignment.

I stuck my head into Tank's office. He was just wrapping up a call and motioned me in. Then he punched up Lester's extension and told him to get his ass in here.

Tank was all business. "Well guys, you have a new assignment starting Tuesday. Flora called this morning and has another personalized bodyguard job for us. A high-ranking government official from South America will be traveling to D.C. with his wife and two young children. While the father is tied up in meetings, the family wants to go to Orlando to visit Disney World."

I shrieked in excitement and jumped up and down clapping my hands. I started singing 'It's a Small World.' Tank glared at me, muttering, 'I hate that song.' "So, I take it from your pogo stick imitation that you want to take this job?" Tank inquired. I gave him a big grin and the thumbs up sign. "You betcha I do. What could be better than getting paid to ride roller coasters, play with Pirates of the Caribbean and wearing Mickey Mouse ears?"

He shook his head and continued explaining the job. "The husband didn't like the idea of his family traveling alone, but the wife refused his usual bodyguards, protesting they were on vacation and the children were scared of big mean men."

"Bomber, you are perfect for this assignment. Hell, the mother's going to think she has _three_ kids, especially when it comes to eating cotton candy and corn dogs." I just grinned. "Lester, you know the drill: you're an old family friend, dress casually, play with kids, and watch out for the bad guys. The husband is especially concerned about a possible kidnap and ransom scenario. Take a full weapons kit." Tank handed Lester the file and contact info, dismissed us and started on the next problem of the day.

Lester's POV

_At their hotel in Orlando, Florida_

"Bomber, I'm thirty-five years old and for the first time in my life I'M GOING TO DISNEY WORLD!" Bomber grinned and gave me a knuckle bump. "Yeah, a fun-filled day at the happiest place in the world, and us armed to the teeth. I don't know where to put this third gun, any suggestions?" I grinned mischievously and stepped over to pat her down. "Never mind," she snarled. "What do you think the chances are of someone trying to kidnap the kids at the amusement park, Les?"

I replied, "Pretty darn good. Be prepared for crowd distractions, anyone following us, the usual stuff. Stay on guard at all times, including trips to the restroom. Keep your earphones in and check in regularly if we get separated. We've gone over the plan several times, any final questions?" She shook her head. Bomber looked confident, even eager.

I knew working with Bomber on this assignment wasn't going to be easy on me. I had to keep my feelings and impulses under tight control at all times. My new mantra was 'Look, but don't touch.' I was failing miserably.

We were well acquainted with our three charges by now. We were about the same age as the mother, Dorotea Lamas or 'Dorie,' and both children were well behaved though curious like most kids. Margarita was 5 and Ricky was 7. We had flown from D.C. to Orlando with them yesterday and settled them into their hotel suite situated next to ours. There was time for a trip to the pool (Bomber in a swimsuit, WOW, and Dorie had a smoking figure too) and then we all ate dinner together. We arranged to meet them for breakfast and then on to the park for the day.

Stephanie's POV

Our rented Escalade was parked by the back entrance of the hotel. I checked out the vehicle and got the kids buckled into the back seats. Lester was helping Dorie bring down a large tote bag, hats, sunscreen and whatever else kids need for a day at Disney World.

Suddenly, I felt strong hands yank me off my feet and fling me to the ground. My training kicked in and I pulled my Glock from its holster flicking the safety off. There was a tall gaunt man leaning in the open car door saying something in Spanish. I saw him raise his arm toward the kids; he had a gun with a silencer.

I reacted instantaneously and fired. I was still flat on my butt so I was firing up at an angle, not near the kids. The man screamed in pain as the gun flew out of his hand and I saw blood spurt everywhere.

I scrambled to my feet, still holding my gun on him. I yelled at him to drop to the ground. He stumbled into me and I fired again as we both fell backward. He was on top of me, his eyes boring into mine with a look of pure hate. He smashed my head into the asphalt and I saw stars. I heard somebody yell. The man struggled to his feet and lurched around to the back of the SUV holding his bleeding hand to his chest. It had all happened in the blink of an eye.

I felt hands helping me rise, but I was dizzy and couldn't focus. Then Lester was shouting in my face, but his voice seemed far away. I told Les to go after the man. He hesitated. I shouted at him, "Go get the bastard." He finally left at a run, gun drawn.

My head cleared somewhat, I leaned in and asked Margarita and Ricky if they were hurt. They shook their heads, too frightened to speak or move. Dorie was clutching on my back trying to get to her children. I let her unbuckle them while I retrieved my weapon and the attacker's.

My foot slipped on something. I looked down and it was a thumb, a squished bloody thumb. I doubled over and puked my breakfast up. 'Real professional, Steph, cool, calm and hurling chunks.' I wiped my mouth and then hustled Dorie and the kids back inside the hotel, walking backwards, gun at the ready.

Hotel security met us at the door and I demanded they take us to a secure place immediately. Police arrived a few minutes later. It was pandemonium with people screaming and everyone talking to me at once. I ignored all the questions and made sure the kids and Dorie were OK. Then Lester rushed into the room. Our eyes locked and he shook his head. I knew Les had lost him.

Lester's POV

Bomber was in the shower. I was pacing outside the door. She had let me treat her head wound, but refused to let me fuss over her. She suffered a concussion and some scrapes from the asphalt. She was still having spells of vertigo. If they didn't quit soon, I was going to drag her to the emergency room.

It took us hours to get through all the questioning from the Orlando police. Dorie's husband had arrived by late afternoon with two burly bodyguards to take his family home. He was effusive in his praise of Bomber for saving his children. He said he had no idea why someone would want to murder them. Holding family members for ransom was the usual concern in South America.

I had called Tank with the details of the day's events as soon as I could. Hopefully, they could turn up more information after they ran their searches and called key contacts. I told Tank how well Bomber had done. All those tortuous hours of exercise and drills had paid off. I also said that we were going to have to revise our strategy when guarding multiple clients.

I kept berating myself for not being able to catch the guy, but I never even saw him. He must have had a car waiting nearby. I requested the police look at any videotapes from adjacent buildings.

The police said they would run the print from the severed thumb to see if it turned up any matches. Gotta love it, Bomber shot the guy's thumb clean off. That had to hurt. From the blood trail, it also looked like she hit him with the second shot she fired. The police put out the word to all hospitals and clinics in the area to be on the lookout for the guy.

I didn't tell Bomber, but I'd be staying up all night, watching over her and making sure that guy or his pals didn't come back.

_Five days later in Trenton_

Tank had called an all-team meeting regarding the Orlando incident. Woody reported on what he found out about Dorie's husband's background. "According to my contact at DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency), our client, Señor Arturo Lamas, works as a counter-narcotic agent for Bolivia's Anti-Corruption Ministry. He has coordinated numerous raids on suspected drug cartel holdings over the past five years. If that wasn't enough to piss someone off, at one of the raids agents were accused of using excessive force. Many of the cartel's men were killed, but several women and children living in the compound were also killed."

Woody's eyes cut to Bomber. "I suspect the gunman you encountered in Orlando, Steph, was the drug lord who lost his children in that fateful raid. The attempted hit on the children was payback against Arturo Lamas and I doubt he will give up. We have a name now. If my research is right, the gunman's name is Gustavo Cervantes. He's the head honcho for the raided cartel and father of the two children killed in the skirmish. His children were the same ages as Lamas' kids."

I couldn't sit still. "If this Cervantes scum is so bent on revenge, we need to be on the lookout for any attempts against Bomber." A flash of surprise crossed her face. "Why would he want me? It's Lamas he wants revenge against." Grimly, I said, "You foiled his plan. He may feel he has to take you out as payback."

Tank took control, "OK team, let's coordinate efforts and work with the feds to find and keep track of Cervantes so we know what he's up to and if he tries to enter the U.S. again. You know what to do, get to work."

_Somewhere deep in the Amazon rainforest, a very scared doctor in a makeshift clinic had just informed his patient that his infected arm must be amputated at the shoulder. The bullet had shattered the scapula, and without medical treatment for several days, infection and gangrene had set in. The tall gaunt man wasn't pleased, to put it mildly. His right hand was bandaged, phantom pains throbbing where his thumb used to be. Now he was going to lose his entire left arm. In a rage, the man began kicking the doctor and even when he was writhing on the floor, the man kept kicking him in the back and legs. _

Stephanie's POV

Great! Another deranged lunatic after me. Why me? None of the Merry Men have crazies trying to kill them? _Jeez_, now I sound like my mother. And I'm expected for dinner tonight. _Mmmmm_, meatloaf…that means pineapple upside down cake…_drool_. No way I'm telling my family about Cervantes. My mother will be ironing the walls if she hears about it, and Grandma Mazur will say _'ain't that a pip'_ and scoot down to the Cut 'n Curl to gossip. What if this guy comes after my family? What would Wonder Woman do? This job assignment was supposed to be about shopping and Disney World, not gun-wielding drug lords and revenge killings. How do I get myself into these things?


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: Just borrowing, still JE's, still want MM, any of them, not picky. Not making any money. Some coarse language. Reviews truly appreciated. Challenge chapter; see author's note at end.

_End of Chapter 7_

_Great! Another deranged lunatic after me. Why me? None of the Merry Men have crazies trying to kill them? Jeez, now I sound like my mother. And I'm expected for dinner tonight. Mmmmm, meatloaf…that means pineapple upside down cake…drool. No way I'm telling my family about Cervantes. My mother will be ironing the walls if she hears about it, and Grandma Mazur will say 'ain't that a pip' and scoot down to the Cut 'n Curl to gossip. Though what's another lunatic in the family. Insanity runs in my family. It practically gallops.__What if this guy comes after my family? What would Wonder Woman do? This job assignment was supposed to be about shopping and Disney World, not gun-wielding drug lords and revenge killings. How do I get myself into these things? _

**Chapter 8**

**Irony**

Nacho's POV

Cervantes' summons had demanded I return to Bolivia immediately to attend to an urgent matter. Now I paced as Cervantes finished reading his report. He looked like death warmed over. Always a thin man, he had lost so much weight, he looked like a cadaver. He'd become obsessed with revenge. It had been bad before he went to Florida, but after that monumental screw up and whacking off his arm a few weeks ago, he had become impossible to deal with rationally.

Cervantes looked up from the manila folder he was holding. "Nacho, I have a job for you. There is someone I need you to find and bring to me. This person will not be easy to convince. Use any means necessary, but he must be alive. I need this done immediately."

"Who is this person?" I asked. Cervantes gloated, "It's all in this report I had my spies prepare for me. You might title it, _'The Life and Times of Stephanie Plum.'_

I sat reviewing the dossier on Miss Plum. It seemed the 'Bombshell' bounty hunter had gained quite a bit of notoriety in her native New Jersey. She wasn't married and had no children. Her parents, grandmother, sister and three nieces were still living. For some reason, Cervantes hadn't targeted any of her family members for his little revenge plot. Instead, he had settled on one of her lovers.

As Cervantes spoke, his cold dark eyes gleamed unnaturally. "First she denied me my rightful revenge on Lamas and then she ruined me. She left me nearly armless and in constant pain. _Dios_, I can't even wipe my own ass. She must pay dearly for her actions. I want her to suffer as I have. I want her to wish _she was dead_ when she learns her lover died because of her."

"El Jefi, isn't that a bit extreme, even for you?" I asked. "We all go a little mad sometimes, haven't you?" Cervantes winked at me. "My spies tell me that removing this man would be devastating to Miss Plum, especially if she knew she caused his excruciatingly painful death."

I slit open the envelope containing my target's photograph, bio and current address. My mouth dropped open. It couldn't be! This man couldn't be the same man…is there a twin? 'Get a hold of yourself, Nacho.' Read his bio before you jump to conclusions.

Sweet Jesus, he is a former Special Ops Ranger, and owns his own security business. This report says it is rumored he works for the government on secret assignments. _¡Dios mío_, this Ricardo Mañoso is Marco, my new contact in Mexico. And to think I almost let him into our inner circle. This federal pig must die for his treachery! Cervantes' revenge will be my revenge too. My fist tightened crumpling the folder. Mastering my fury, I spat out through a clenched jaw, "Consider it done, El Jefi."

Stephanie's POV

The Ranger's were playing their last televised game of the season and I had joined the Merry Men in cheering them on. We were all sprawled out in the TV room, scarfing down pretzels, hot wings and beer. My phone rang. "Yo." I said.

"Miss Plum?" A man spoke, but I didn't recognize the voice. "Yes, this is Stephanie Plum." The man continued, "My name is Gustavo Cervantes. We have not been formally introduced, but we have met before, haven't we, Miss Plum?" My heart stopped, my mouth went dry. This was the gunman, the man I'd shot in Orlando. Oh my God, he's coming for me!

I must have had a terrified look on my face because Lester was waving at me, mouthing '_What's wrong?_' I covered the phone and hissed, "He says he's Cervantes, the gunman I shot." Tank immediately told me to put it on speakerphone. The Merry Men scrambled, some racing out the door to the control room, the rest huddled around me.

"Miss Plum? Are you still there?" His voice sounded so polite, so normal, nothing like I expected from a deranged lunatic bent on revenge. "Why are you calling me?" My voice cracked, I was trembling like a leaf.

"May I call you Stephanie? I feel like we're already old friends. We became quite intimate with one another in Florida, wouldn't you agree?" He had the nerve to joke about that awful day. "What do you want, _your thumb back?_" I retorted, trying to regain my composure.

"No, Stephanie, though I do miss my thumb. I also miss my left arm. Your second bullet took that from me. You also prevented me from fulfilling my life's goal when you stopped me from sending those two beautiful children to be with my beloved niños in heaven. I was greatly irritated with you." He sounded so calm. "Go to hell, Cervantes," I spat out. **"**As you wish,"Cervantes replied.** "**All in due time."

"I want you to know that I have as my guest a good friend of yours, someone very close to you. Here, he would like to say something to you." A deep sexy voice, one I knew so well stilled my heart with a single word. _"Babe."_

Cervantes spoke again. "I will be returning him to you, piece by piece. You will know his end has come when you receive his final body part, his right thumb. I find that fitting, don't you?" My blood ran cold, black spots flashed across my eyes. I couldn't breathe. The phone dropped from my hand as everything went dark and I collapsed to the floor.

My nose was stinging and an acrid taste filled my mouth. I sat up sputtering and slapped at the hand that held an ammonia capsule in front of my face. I blinked open my eyes to see Bobby peering at me with a concerned look. "You OK, Bomber?" he asked.

It all came flooding back to me. The phone call. Cervantes. Ranger! "Oh, God, he has Ranger. What do we do?" I cried. Bobby looked up at Tank and Lester. Tank squatted down beside me and said, "What we always do. We go get our boy back."

While I'd been taking my unexpected beauty sleep, the guys had been working frantically, contacting the agency they did their missions with, trying to find out about Ranger's status. Since they'd been keeping tabs on Cervantes' whereabouts through their contacts in South America, they had the most up to date information on his latest jungle compound. They'd made arrangements to fly down and join up with a local team of ex Special Ops guys to break into the compound and rescue Ranger. A jet had been chartered and the team was leaving in two hours.

"I'm going with you," I demanded. They all fought me, saying I was not trained for a mission of this complexity and danger. Tank warned me it would probably get real ugly and that I'd never been in a firefight. He said I would put the team at risk.

I hesitated at that, but still insisted on going. I argued, "I've been training with all of you for nearly a year now. I can run, kick, throw, and shoot as well as many of you. I refuse to stay home like a good little girl." I took a deep breath and locked eyes with Tank. "I would rather die trying to save a friend, than stay here and live with the guilt." It took a little more coaxing, but Tank finally relented. I packed in record time and we left for the airport.

Lester's POV

The flight was a long one. We were nearly there, flying over the Andes. There was quite a bit of turbulence so we were all strapped in, trying to get some shut-eye. Out of the quiet, I could hear a rumbling. It got louder and louder. Don't tell me…it couldn't be that loud.

I looked over at Bomber and yep, the rumbling was coming from her stomach. The 'beast' was hungry. She looked green. I wasn't sure if it was from the plane shaking or the fact that her stomach was growling in tune with the storm outside. As soon as we dropped out of the turbulence, I popped back to the galley and brought back the banana nut bread Ella had packed for us. I squatted down by Bomber and waved a piece of the treat in front of her stomach. In a deep nasal voice I croaked, **"**Feed Me! Feeeed Me!"

She couldn't help herself and laughed out loud. She grabbed the slice out of my hand and shoved me on my butt with her foot. I was glad to see she was still able to joke. She had to be worried about what was ahead of us. I know I was.

A half hour later we landed at a small private airstrip carved out of the jungle. The local team we had coordinated with was waiting for us with gear and vehicles. We didn't waste any time and headed out immediately.

We drove for hours through the rainforest. The road became rougher and fainter, finally giving way entirely to the jungle. We stopped. Juan, leader of the local team, told us Cervantes' compound was about seven miles due west of us. To avoid detection we were going cross-country, bushwhacking our way through the jungle. He grinned and said, **"**Remember where we parked." We all jumped out and started donning backpacks.

Bomber whispered to me, "Seven miles…on foot? Where's the road?" Chris, one of the local guys next to us, leaned over and whispered back, **"**Roads? Where we're going, we don't need roads.**" **Bomber did _not_ look happy, but she grabbed a pack and trudged after the team into the jungle.

We pushed and hacked our way through the dense undergrowth for over six hours. Juan finally lowered his machete and called a halt. As I slid my backside down the trunk of a tree, I exhaled slowly, "I hate the tropics and I hate Bolivia. Give me the dry desert any day."

The air was oppressively hot and humid. I was soaked to the skin with sweat. Everyone else looked as exhausted and miserable as I did. About twenty minutes later, Bobby finally came into the clearing with Bomber, she was really dragging, but she'd hung in there. Tank and Juan were talking quietly, poring over a satellite image of the area.

Then Juan called us over, he was all business. "The compound is less than half a mile away. It will be dark in another four hours. We will make our way in shortly after dark. We'll go in as quietly as we can, but expect all hell to break loose at some point. You know the objective. Find and get Ranger out."

"If it goes well, meet back at the vehicles. If it goes haywire, get yourself out and follow the river we just crossed downstream to the village of Sena. The village marks the junction of Highway 2 and the Rio de Madre de Dios. We've arranged for transport to extract us from the village at noon in two days. If you miss us, you're on your own. I'd suggest hitchhiking south to La Paz. Now, get some rest. We move out in four hours."

One of Juan's men who'd gone ahead to scout out the compound was reporting in. Juan was frowning and swearing under his breath. I said. "I take it the odds are against us and the situation is grim." He gave me a glare, "You could say that." I grinned, "Sounds like fun!"

_Five hours later_

Ranger's POV

Well, here's another nice mess you gotten yourself into, Mañoso. You're sitting in the dark, tied half-naked to a chair in a rundown shack in the middle of the Amazon. The good news is that you finally found 'El Jefi.' Gustavo Cervantes, what a sorry piece of shit, and out of his ever-freaking mind to boot.

Unfortunately for me, my cover got blown somehow. I'd come willingly to Bolivia when Nacho told me El Jefi wanted to meet me. Then all pretense of cordiality ended and here I was. By some freak coincidence, my serendipitous Babe got tangled up in this mess. How does she do it? How did she get mixed up in my undercover mission? Cervantes told me I'm going to die, one body part at a time, for revenge against my Babe. How ironically FUBAR is this?

The door opened. Oh joy, another torture session. "Nacho, how nice of you to visit again. Sorry I can't offer you anything to drink." The sadistic bastard smiled and then smashed his fist into my face. I could no longer see out of my left eye and blood was running into my mouth. Gustavo watched avidly as Nacho continued to beat the shit out of me. I refused to make a sound, not even a groan. He motioned Nacho away and came forward, "You're an amazingly quiet man, under the circumstances." I spat out, **"**Do you expect me to talk?" Gustavo slowly smiled, "No, Mr. Mañoso, I expect you to die."

"It's time to send a piece of you to your sweet Miss Plum." Gustavo continued. "What should we start with…an eye, an ear or maybe something a little more personal, like your cajones wrapped up in a silk ribbon, perhaps? No, let's start off small and work our way up. Nacho, cut off one of Mr. Mañoso's toes, if you would. I think that will please our Stephanie, give her some hope that you may survive this." Nacho approached me with a big motherfucker of a knife and quickly slashed it across my left side. I screamed in surprise and pain.

As if on cue, a wood chair came crashing through the only window in the shack. Immediately following it, a slim figure dressed head to toe in dark camouflage came diving through the window. The back of my neck prickled and I knew. _My_ _Babe_! But how…? She tucked and rolled as she hit the ground and came up with guns blazing. _¡Que mujer!_ I saw Gustavo fall back with a bullet hole perfectly placed in the middle of his forehead. _Babe! _Nacho staggered as a bullet pierced his thigh. He lunged toward Stephanie with his knife raised. I yelled, helpless, unable to protect her. She crouched sideways kicking her leg out and knocked Nacho's legs out from under him. _Is this ninja really my Babe?_

The door exploded inward and Tank and Lester burst in with guns drawn. Nacho took a half dozen rounds; he didn't stand a chance. My Babe, my glorious Babe came to my rescue! She grabbed the knife from Nacho's dead hand and cut me loose. I wanted to stand and take her in my arms, but I'd been tied up for more than thirty hours and my muscles wouldn't cooperate.

As if in a dream, Stephanie leaned into me, whispered '_Carlos_' and pressed her lips to mine. ¡_Dios mío_, she was real and she still cared about me. Before I could respond, Tank and Lester grabbed me by my arms and dragged me out the door.

Outside the shack, it sounded like World War II with the rapid fire of automatic weapons, grenades going off and buildings burning. We had escaped the frying pan and we were now in the fire. Men were running everywhere, firing their weapons wildly. With my brothers holding me up, we made it to the compound wall. They boosted Stephanie up and over, and then it was my turn. I fell hard on the other side with my Babe cradling me in her arms.

I looked up into those blue, blue eyes and all pain disappeared. I reached my hand up to caress her cheek to see if she was really there. I was still stunned by her presence here and her incredible actions. She was real and she was smiling at me with love in her eyes.

Again, I was yanked to my feet by Tank and Lester and we staggered into the jungle. After a while, I told them I could walk on my own. A burst of gunfire zinged past us, followed by a dozen more. Steph cried, **"**They're firing at us." Tank yelled, "Really, YOU THINK! You two keep going. Lester and I can handle this." I didn't hesitate. I grabbed Stephanie's hand and we plunged into the undergrowth, making our way to the river.

The tropical vegetation was densely intertwined and we had to force our way through. Luckily there was enough moonlight to see basic shapes as the plants gave way to an open area. I pulled Stephanie up short before we both spilled over the cliff edge. We looked down; the river was about forty feet below us. Steph loudly sucked in a bunch of air.

I could hear someone crashing through the jungle after us. I hoped it was Tank or Lester, but with my luck, it would be one of Cervantes' goons. "Babe, we may have to jump," I told her. "No way," she cried. "What's the matter?" I said. She stammered, **"**I can't swim." I laughed and exclaimed, "Why you crazy…the fall'll probably kill ya'!" She wasn't laughing.

At that moment, someone burst out of the jungle behind us; we whirled around. Damn, it wasn't Tank or Lester. It was Nacho's oldest son and he was pissed. The young boy raised his gun and shouted, "Mi nombre es Iñigo Montoya. Mataste a mi padre. Prepararse a para morir." [_My name is Iñigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die._]Without a second thought, I grabbed my Babe's hand; we locked eyes and then jumped backwards. In true Babe fashion, as we plummeted she gave the guy an abrupt Italian hand gesture.

As I hit the water the impact knocked the wind out of me. I frantically looked around for Stephanie as the strong current pulled me downstream. I felt her arms grasp me around the neck, her trembling body pressed against my back. I reached up, squeezed her arm and struck out for the river's edge. We floated quite a ways downstream before I was able to make it to shore. I pulled us both out of the river on the bank opposite from where we had jumped in.

As we lay there gasping, I asked Steph, "You okay?" She gave me her death Burg glare. "No, I'm pretty fuckin' far from okay. I've been shot at, jumped off a cliff into a piranha infested river and swallowed a ton of yucky green water."

She continued to catch her breath and then started chuckling, which turned to hysterical laughter. I put my hand up to her mouth and whispered to her to quiet down. She continued to shake with silent laughter. We lay there staring up at the pre-dawn sky slowly coming down from our adrenaline high.

She whispered, "I voluntarily jumped off a freaking cliff. How did we not die? Did you see the look on that kid's face when I flipped him off?" She propped herself on her elbow and looked over at me. "How 'bout you? Are you OK?" As she studied my face her voice softened and a pained look came into her eyes. "Carlos!" As I heard her whisper my name, my heart sped up. "Those monsters tortured you! Your poor face, you have bruises everywhere. And that bastard cut you with a knife. When I heard you yell, I couldn't wait for Tank's signal any longer. I was afraid they were going to kill you."

I just stared at her grinning like an idiot. "What's wrong with you?" she asked. I was so happy just to lie there gazing into my Babe's shining eyes. Mine darkened with desire and my heartbeat quickened as a wicked smile spread across my face, "Nothing _you_ can't fix," I growled.

In the pre-dawn light I could see a blush rush up her throat and across her cheeks. My need for her tossed all caution from my brain. I pulled her underneath me and _'ouch.'_ I grinned again and just _had_ to say it. "Is that a gun in your pocket or are you just glad to see me?" She shook her head and her mouth twitched, trying to hold back a smile. I covered those smiling lips with mine. I meant the kiss to be tender and short, but I lost myself in the wonder of my Babe.

It had been too long and I'd dreamed of this every night. I was doubting she was really here in my arms until…her arms reached around me and tightened, sending waves of pain through my ribs and bruised muscles. I ignored the pain and concentrated on the other more pleasurable sensations rippling through my body. Her lips demanded my full attention and I kissed them hard and furiously, my hands running over every curve of her body. She was thinner and definitely more toned than I remembered. She moaned and thrust herself up against me, our bodies melting into one. I was oblivious to any sensation other than that of our lips and bodies grinding sensuously together.

I wanted this moment to go on forever, but reality rudely interrupted us as we heard shouts close by. I quickly looked up and saw something floating down the river. As it got closer, I recognized Lester and he was paddling a dugout. We stood up and he steered the dugout toward us, grinning and shouting a greeting. Brightly colored birds flew out of the trees above us at the noise.

As the narrow canoe slid up the bank, Les hopped out and pulled me into a one-arm man hug. He picked Steph up and swung her around. As he set her down he tousled her outrageous curls and joked, "Hi Curly. Kill anyone today?" To my amazement, Steph joked right back, "Day ain't over yet." Was this my Babe? I punched Lester lightly in the shoulder. "Glad you made it, Santos. What's the situation?"

Lester got serious. "We leveled the compound last night, but a few of Cervantes' men scattered before the team could take them out. Our team's intact and includes five local guys; you know most of them, Ranger. As for today's plan, it's pretty fuckin' simple. We head downstream looking for a small village and we watch our backs." Steph piped up, "You're going to need a bigger boat. That won't hold all three of us, will it?"

That's when two more dugouts came into view upstream. Lester waved them in. Bobby was doing okay, but Tank's dugout was sunk so low into the water it was barely visible. They both looked tired, dirty, but happy. Tank advised us we needed to get moving. The area still wasn't safe and he admonished us to keep talking to a minimum. Lester gave Steph his hand and bowed. "Your chariot awaits, m'lady." I glared at Lester and reluctantly climbed in with Bobby and we pushed off.

As the five of us paddled down river, the smell of burning tires, gasoline and wood wafted through the humid air. Lester inhaled deeply and said in a slow gravelly voice, "I love the smell of napalm in the morning…smells like…victory." He grinned from ear to ear. "I've _always_ wanted to say that." Tank grumbled under his breath. Les defended his exuberance, "Hey, we just burned up thousands of pounds of coca leaves and pure cocaine back there and we kicked some nasty Bolivian butt big time. Cut me some slack." Leave it to Santos to find humor in any situation.

My curiosity was killing me. I wanted to know how they had found me, how Cervantes knew Stephanie, and why they had let my Babe come with them…whoa…stop that line of thought right there, Mañoso. After what you witnessed with your own eyes, 'your Babe' was perfectly capable of taking care of herself. If we were going to stand a snowball's chance in hell of making it work, and so help me, I was desperate for us to work, I had to dump my macho shit. I also had a lot of apologizing to do and not just to Stephanie.

_A/N: This was a Challenge Chapter for me, so you may have detected some familiar phrases. How's your movie trivia? I was given a list of 25 famous movie lines with the challenge to include as many as possible in this chapter. I was able to use 18, though I slightly altered two of them. A few lines just didn't lend themselves to this story. It's hard to use 'Gooood Morning, Vietnam' in a story about South America. And how 'bout 'Greet the dawn with a breath of fire.' Give me a break! I tried my best to use all 25, but 'frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn.' There, does that count as using them in this story? I may slip the last few into the next chapter just for fun. Hope the challenge didn't detract from the story too much. Did you catch all 18? If you are interested in the lines and movies they came from, drop me an email. _


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: Just borrowing, still JE's, still want MM, any of them, not picky. Not making any money. Some coarse language. This completes my first multi-chapter story. Any and all reviews truly appreciated.

_A/N: __"Hooah" - military jargon indicating an affirmative response; 'HUA' as in "Heard, Understood and Acknowledged"_

_End of Chapter 8_

_My curiosity was killing me. I wanted to know how they had found me, how Cervantes knew Stephanie, and why they had let my Babe come with them…whoa…stop that line of thought right there, Mañoso. After what you witnessed with your own eyes, 'your Babe' was perfectly capable of taking care of herself. If we were going to stand a snowball's chance in hell of making it work, and so help me, I was desperate for us to work, I had to dump my macho shit. I also had a lot of apologizing to do and not just to Stephanie._

**Chapter 9**

**Hooah Revisited**

Stephanie's POV

How do I get myself into these bizarre situations? I'm a city-bred white girl from Jersey roughing it in the middle of the Amazon jungle. This morning I was on my knees in a primitive canoe paddling down a piranha-filled river. I hadn't had a decent meal, a shower or a change of clothes in three days. And I wanted a doughnut! I wanted a _dozen_ doughnuts!

I was with four badass ex Special Ops rangers. Three of them were my best friends, and one was…what the hell was he? That was the $64 million question or would that be $64 _billion_ in today's economy?

Being with Ranger again felt like old times. Did I want the 'old times'? We were obviously still attracted to each other, but had anything really changed? Did Ranger still want nothing to do with me or would he want 'love with a condom, not a ring'? More importantly, what did _I_ want?

For the first time, I knew what I _didn't_ want. I didn't want _just_ stolen kisses in an alley. I didn't want to be just 'entertainment.' I wanted…a…relationship. There, I said it. OK, now I knew what I wanted. So how was I going to handle this? I knew I should stop the kissing and groping. That just got me in trouble. OK, so for the rest of this trip I was going to be just another member of the team, just one of the boys. Yeah, right! Keep telling yourself that, Steph.

"Bomber," Lester hissed at me, as we made our way downriver. "I can hear your stomach growling from back here. There're some fruit trees up ahead. I'm going to paddle over and we can pick some for everybody." I nodded and motioned to Tank who was paddling behind us. The low hanging fruit were bright yellow orbs with a creamy white inside. Hmmm, yum! Sweet, like caramel in a jelly paste. Not quite a doughnut, but it'll do in a pinch.

The rest of the day was spent monotonously floating down the river. We saw parrots flying and heard monkeys howling, but saw no people, no signs of a village. Finally, in late afternoon, we arrived at our rendezvous point, the village of Sena. We were the first of our team to arrive.

The village was small and quaint. It had a boarding house and a small bar that served food. There was also a shop that sold clothing and dry goods. I was desperate to take a bath and get into clean clothes. We purchased what we needed, rented several rooms with a bath and spent the next couple of hours scrubbing off several days of sweat, mud and bugs from our skin and hair. I thought briefly of Ranger's shower and his Bulgari gel before I shut my mind off to those dangerous thoughts.

While I was primping, Juan and his team had arrived and everyone was downstairs in the bar drinking cervezas. I had bought a soft white muslin blouse trimmed with colorful embroidery and a matching flowing skirt that hit me mid-calf. A pair of simple leather sandals completed my new Bolivian look. I tried to tame my hair; at least it was clean and fell to my shoulders in soft curls. The shopkeeper had sold me a small pot of black goo that could substitute for mascara.

When I came down the stairs into the bar, I felt like Kathleen Turner in the movie '_Romancing the Stone.'_ All nine guys in our party turned to stare. Lester and Chris whistled. I was embarrassed. This wasn't being 'one of the guys.'

And then it happened; I tripped on the last stair and fell flat on my face. _Jeez._ Now I felt like Danny DeVito in the same movie. When I turned over, Ranger was standing over me grinning. _"Babe."_ That's all he said as he helped me up and led me over to our table. Lester handed me a beer and said, "Smooth entrance, Bomber, very graceful." I stuck my tongue out at him.

The guys had been filling Ranger in on everything. He'd heard about the shooting incident with Cervantes in Orlando, tracking him, the phone call, the rushed flight down, and our trek through the jungle. Juan was filling everyone in on what happened after we freed Ranger.

A big man in a dirty apron brought our food out. Dinner consisted of lots of grilled meats, roasted potatoes and vegetables, endless loaves of crusty bread and caramel flan for dessert. I was in heaven and groaned so loudly that Chris joked, "I'll have what's she's having," spoofing a popular Meg Ryan movie. Several locals had tuned up their instruments and started to play folk songs.

After the violent encounter we'd just been through, it seemed surreal to sit in a bar, eating, drinking and listening to music, as if nothing had happened. I suddenly realized that this dichotomous life was normal for all of these men. One day they're killing people and fighting to stay alive and the very next day, life is back to 'normal.' No wonder they shut off their emotions behind their blank faces. War is hell!

I felt Ranger's warm hand on the back of my neck as he leaned down and asked me to dance. We hadn't had anytime to talk or be alone since dawn. I didn't know if I could hold it together being in his arms, smelling his scent and having his dark brown eyes boring into me. I was going commando—no bras or panties for sale in the little shop—and that could prove embarrassing if my body reacted the way it normally did to Ranger's intensity and firm embraces.

When I shook my head no, Ranger just pulled me to my feet and swept me into his arms. He was a great dancer and I couldn't help but enjoy myself. My body was humming and my skin was tingling everywhere his warm skin touched mine. My brain kept screaming 'I'm just one of the guys!' But it was obvious there was a failure to communicate between my brain and my body. And my body was winning. My body wanted more Ranger.

As the music slowed, Ranger leaned in and asked me to accompany him outside so we could talk. His hands were trembling. Ranger was nervous; who'd a thunk! As we started to leave, Tank stepped in front of us and asked me if I was alright. I squeezed his arm and told him I was OK. Ranger and I stepped out into the quiet sultry night.

Ranger's POV

Yesterday, I knew with all certainty I was going to die—and die a slow and painful death at the hands of butchers. Today, I was given my life back. This gift was given to me by my Babe and my brothers. It was now up to me to be worthy of this honor, this sacred trust.

And it had been worth all the pain I'd endured at the hands of those butchers to have those few incredible moments with Stephanie this morning. To be able to gaze into her sparkling blue eyes and hear her laugh. To be able to kiss her and run my hands over her silky smooth curves. It was nearly impossible to sit still in that dugout floating downriver hour after hour knowing my Babe was just a hundred feet away. I'd had to retreat into 'my zone' as Steph calls it.

I was relieved when we arrived at Sena without encountering any problems. I wasn't at my physical best, being denied food or water for the last two days and being beaten unconscious. The village was like a thousand other places we'd been in across the world. We checked out the area and secured room and board for the night.

I walked Steph to her room and as I turned around Lester slammed me into the wall and quietly uttered, "If you cause one tear to fall from her eyes that isn't from happiness, I will kill you." With that pronouncement he stalked off to his room. After I'd finished showering, Bobby came in to check my injuries and patch me up. He didn't talk until we were ready to go down to the bar. He grabbed me by my shirt and told me, "If you hurt Steph again, you will have to answer to me." Then he walked out the door.

I started down the stairs and Tank hauled me backward, a deadly look in his eye, "Ranger, I am really glad you're safe. I don't know what your plans are now, but when it comes to Stephanie, you have two choices. Make a commitment to her or stay the hell away from her. Any other choice and we're through." _Whew!_ My brothers had picked Stephanie over me a year ago, and it looked like the bond had only gotten stronger. I had A LOT of apologizing to do.

I joined the three of them in the bar and we ordered dinner and beer for the entire team. Juan had prearranged for payment for our stay. I knew we didn't have much time before Steph came down, so I got right to the point. "I've decided to quit my government contract and return to RangeMan full-time. As business partners, I will abide by your wishes regarding working out of Trenton or Miami."

Telling them about my intentions toward Stephanie was much harder. "I'm grateful to you for taking such good care of Stephanie and for standing by her when I was such a monumental jackass. It's obvious from what I witnessed yesterday that all of you have worked hard to improve her physical stamina and her skills. No one knows better than I how difficult that must've been, both for you and for her." My Babe hated exercising like the plague and she hated guns even more.

"I freely admit I've been a fucked up fool and I apologize for leaving the way I did. I have no excuse. As for my intentions toward Stephanie, I want to do it right this time, no half-ass cat and mouse games. I want a committed relationship with her, if she will have me." They didn't say much, but nodded and finally reached across the table to shake my hand. It was a start.

Juan and his team came in then and talk turned to the Cervantes' raid. It was good to catch up with Juan and my other ex-Ranger pals; we hadn't worked a mission together in a few years. Juan was filling us in about how they'd routed out the rest of Cervantes' army when I felt a familiar tingle at the back of my neck.

I turned as my Babe came down the stairs. She looked like an angel, her wild curls framing her face and spreading out over her bare shoulders. She wore a simple white blouse tucked into a swirling skirt. I swear she wasn't wearing a bra or panties. My cock stiffened and my breathing quickened. When she tripped on the last step, I was actually relieved. She was still just my Babe after all. I pulled her to her feet and she brushed against me. The scent of her made me weak in the knees.

The food came and I ate because I knew my body needed it, but all I could think of was Stephanie, of holding her, kissing her, making love to her. I had a constant knot in my stomach fearing that her reaction to me this morning was just relief that I was safe. That once the excitement was over she would still despise me. Would she ever be able to forgive me?

Dinner was barely finished and I'd tortured my mind enough. I moved swiftly to her and swept her up in my arms and onto the dance floor. Any excuse to hold her close, bury my face in her sweet smelling hair. Her skin was so soft. I could feel her nipples hardened as I pulled her tight against my chest. My cock responded in kind. This was sweet agony.

As soon as the music slowed, I steeled myself and asked her outside so we could talk. Tank confronted us, concern for Steph showing in his face. I was glad she had such solid friends. I should know; they were once my friends. I hoped I could regain their trust.

As I walked down the road of this sleepy little village hand in hand with my Babe, I felt I was finally walking toward my true future. The only thing on my mind was 'would my Babe say yes.' I couldn't believe I was shaking with nervousness, _me_, the badass soldier with nerves of steel. Man up, Mañoso and win the hand and heart of the woman you love.

Stephanie's POV

He twined his fingers in mine as we walked down the dusty road by the river. Neither of us said anything for several minutes, and then Ranger started, "Babe…Stephanie…" Ranger stopped and took several deep breaths, exhaling loudly trying to calm himself. I'd never seen him so unsure, so hesitant. It was a bit unnerving. Did Batman ever get nervous?

He turned to face me, his eyes searching mine for…reassurance...forgiveness? "I've been an idiot, an ass, a jerk…" "Go on," I said. He didn't smile, not a twitch.

"I've told you before, expressing my feelings in words isn't easy for me, I'm better with actions." Finally, a hint of a smile. "I know that has to change, starting tonight. So, this is me—telling you—how I feel." He took another deep breath and exhaled.

"I've replayed your last words to me over and over in my head for the last four months while I was 'in the wind.' You were right in nearly everything you said. I was a coward. I was afraid. I treated you with disrespect by not talking with you before I left. And I live only half a life because you and your love aren't in it." His voice wavered a bit.

"You said I had no faith in you. The problem was I never considered you or _your needs as __you__ saw them_ in my decision. I thought only from my perspective. _I never put myself in your shoes_. I was only thinking of my fear of losing you, of you dying. It literally drove me crazy. I know that's not an excuse, but there it is." _'Had __I__ ever put myself in Ranger's shoes? His black silk boxers, yes, but his shoes?'_

"When you confronted me and said I was unwilling to take a risk with you, I realized that hadn't even been an option I'd considered. My damned Cuban _machismo_ told me it was my responsibility to protect you, at all costs, even if it meant walking away from you. Lack of faith in you was never the issue."

_A/N: machismo—an exaggerated sense or display of masculinity, emphasizing characteristics that are conventionally regarded as typically male, usually physical strength and courage, aggressiveness, and lack of emotional response. This is often coupled with a denigration of characteristics associated with the feminine. It has for centuries been a strong current in Latin American society._

"Your amazing actions over the last twenty-four hours have blown my provincial macho thinking clean apart. Babe, you've grown. _'Damn Skippy.' _You're no longer just the wisecracking Jersey girl with unmatched audacity anymore. _'I have audacity?'_ I've realized you don't need me to take care of you. You rescued me and I am forever grateful. Not just for saving my life, but for clearing my head of some very old-fashioned beliefs and attitudes." '_I__ rescued Ranger, is that irony or what?'_

Ranger pulled my hands up his lips and kissed my palms and then kissed each fingertip. My heart was melting. He looked straight into my eyes, into my soul. "Babe, I love you. Without _any_ qualifiers. I want a relationship with you, however you choose to define it. Ring or no ring. Condom or no condom. I just know I don't want to spend another day without you in my life and in my heart, _mi amor_." '_Did I just hear what I thought I did?'_

He dropped to one knee. _'Oh, God!'_ "Stephanie, I beg you, please forgive me for my incredibly stupid behavior. I will do everything in my power to overcome my macho upbringing and to prove my faith in you and in our love. Let me be the one to stand beside you in life, in love, against the world if need be. I ask you, Babe, Will you forgive me? Can you love me again?"

It felt like an eternity passed before I spoke. My brain was frantically trying to process what Ranger had said, what he had asked of me. He'd said everything I'd wanted to hear. He said he loved me, and not just 'in his own way.' He gave me a choice of a relationship _with_ a ring and _no_ condom. Did that mean marriage and children? He acknowledged that I'd changed and grown. And more importantly, he acknowledged his weaknesses, and his need to change his thinking about me.

I wanted to say _'YES'_ and fling myself into his arms, but there was a little voice of reason telling me to go slow. It had been nearly a year since we'd been together. A lot had happened in both of our lives during that time. I_ liked_ the changes I'd made in my life, but would Ranger? Could he accept me now? And would he move back to Jersey or stay in Miami?

As much as my body was pulling me toward Ranger's waiting arms, my brain was telling me to give us some time—time to get to know one another again. He was still kneeling in front of me, looking up at me with such intensity, waiting for my answer.

"I was not expecting any of this. You've caught me off guard. Your words mean more to me than you could ever know and I can only imagine how hard it was for you to say them. I'll try to be as direct."

"Ranger, I forgive you for walking away from me." Ranger bowed his head and kissed my palms. I felt his tears fall where he had kissed them—Ranger's tears—there's a first time for everything. "Ranger…" He looked back up at me. I plunged ahead, "I love you. I've never stopped loving you."

Ranger rose swiftly and took me in arms, kissing me passionately. His mouth bruised my lips, and then softly kissed my cheeks, my eyes, my forehead, and then back to my lips. His hands caressed my face, my hair, my arms, and then they tightened around me again. I was getting dizzy. He whispered in my ear, "Babe, you've made me the happiest man in the world. I never want to be apart from you again." I started to pull back, to explain my hesitation, but Ranger continued.

"Thoughts of you were the only thing that brought me back from so many missions. During this last mission, and it is my last one, I'd decided to terminate my government contract and return to running RangeMan full-time. I was going to find you and beg you to forgive me as soon as the mission was over. Well, you found me first. And in true Bombshell fashion, you rescued me complete with exploding vehicles and gunfire. You never fail to disappoint, Babe. Life with you will never be dull or boring. Babe, what's that look?"

Again, he had told me just what I wanted to hear. No more 'in the wind,' full-time back at RangeMan, and wanting a relationship with me. "Ranger…" "Babe, I'd love it if you'd call me Carlos. Please?" I smiled at the 'please.'

"Carlos, Now _I_ have a few things to confess. I admit I haven't always used the best judgment at times. And when the consequences got a bit too hairy for me, I always knew you'd be there to pull my ass out of the fire. I resented having to be 'saved' and I never thanked you. I took you for granted. I apologize. This past year I knew you wouldn't be there for me, so I had to step up my game. I like the _'new and improved'_ Stephanie, although I'm still a klutz as evidenced by my stair dive earlier tonight. I need you to accept me as I am now."

"I would like a relationship with you, but I want us to go slow. We've both changed this past year. I want us to take time to get reacquainted. You're new to this relationship thing, and I don't have a particularly stellar track record, so let's take it easy for awhile, OK?"

"As you wish, Babe. Any way you want it. And Babe…you should be kissed…and often…and by someone who knows how. May I demonstrate?" Now that's the confident arrogance I expected from Ranger. I smiled and pulled his head down to my eager lips.

Tank's POV

Lester, Bobby and I were waiting for Stephanie and Ranger to come back to the bar. The room had cleared out and there was just the cook sweeping the floor. I watched the two of them as they strolled up the road. They had their arms around each other and had silly love-struck grins on their faces. I blew out the breath I'd been holding and looked at my two comrades. They grinned and nodded at me.

As they came in the door, we stepped in front of them. Ranger had a wary look and Bomber looked surprised. I started right in, "Ranger, a year ago you asked the three of us a question; we didn't respond the way you expected and it broke our friendship apart. Well, we have something to ask you and I want you to think carefully before you answer, alright?" Ranger looked puzzled, but nodded.

I barked out in true Drill Sergeant fashion, "Are you going to keep letting Stephanie drag you around by your balls?" Ranger grinned and without hesitation, shouted, "Hooah!" I continued, "Do you promise to love and respect Stephanie and treat her as your equal?" Ranger's face softened and he smiled as his voice dropped an octave, "Hooah!" "At ease," I said, and pulled him into a brother's embrace.

After we all hugged and made nice, we started up the stairs. Halfway up, Bomber turned around to me. She scrunched her face up in a frown, and in a loud voice exclaimed, "What do you mean I drag Ranger around by his balls? As if anyone could do that to him! I don't think I like what you're implying." She was standing two steps above me so we were eye to eye and she was shaking her finger in my face. She was really getting worked up. Her voice was shrill and she was waving her arms all over the place.

I just hung my head and exhaled loudly. Lester and Bobby squeezed past me and grabbed Bomber by her arms dragging her up the rest of the stairs. All the while she ranted and raved at me over her shoulder. It's nice to know some things never change.


End file.
